concrete

adjective

Save Word

con·crete | \ (ˌ)kän-ˈkrēt

, ˈkän-ˌkrēt, kən-ˈkrēt

Essential Meaning of concrete

1 : made of concrete a concrete floor/wall concrete blocks concrete structures

2 : relating to or involving specific people, things, or actions rather than general ideas or qualities It's helpful to have concrete examples of how words are used in context. The police suspected that he was guilty, but they had no concrete evidence against him. [=the police had no clear and definite proof that he committed the crime] See More Examplesconcrete facts Does anyone have any concrete [=specific] suggestions for how we can fix this? We hope the meetings will produce concrete results.Hide

Full Definition of concrete

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : naming a real thing or class of things the word poem is concrete, poetry is abstract

2 : formed by coalition of particles into one solid mass

3a : characterized by or belonging to immediate experience of actual things or events

b : specific, particular a concrete proposal

c : real, tangible concrete evidence

4 : relating to or made of concrete a concrete wall

concrete

verb

con·crete | \ ˈkän-ˌkrēt

, kän-ˈkrēt

concreted; concreting

Definition of concrete (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to form into a solid mass : solidify

b : combine, blend

2 : to make actual or real : cause to take on the qualities of reality

3 : to cover with, form of, or set in concrete The statues were concreted to the ground.

intransitive verb

: to become concreted

concrete

noun

con·crete | \ ˈkän-ˌkrēt

, (ˌ)kän-ˈkrēt \

Definition of concrete (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : a mass formed by concretion or coalescence of separate particles of matter in one body

2 : a hard strong building material made by mixing a cementing material (such as Portland cement) and a mineral aggregate (such as sand and gravel) with sufficient water to cause the cement to set and bind the entire mass

3 : a waxy essence of flowers prepared by extraction and evaporation and used in perfumery

Other Words from concrete Synonyms & Antonyms Did you know? More Example Sentences Learn More About concrete

Did you know?

Adjective

We can trace "concrete" back to the Latin verb concrescere, meaning "to grow together." Appropriately, when if first entered English "concrete" could mean "connected by growth." Logicians and grammarians also applied "concrete" to words that expressed a quality viewed as being united with the thing it describes. That in turn led to the sense of "concrete" which we now contrast with "abstract" - concrete words express actual things ("rock," "lizard, "harpsichord"), while abstract words express qualities apart from actual things ("bliss," "freedom," "turpitude"). It was not until the 19th century that the noun "concrete," and its related adjective, began to be used for the building material composed of cementing material and sand, gravel, or similar materials.

Examples of concrete in a Sentence

Adjective It's helpful to have concrete examples of how words are used in context. We hope the meetings will produce concrete results. Verb the mortar slowly concreted in the mold a choral work that concretes music and dance into a stunning theatrical experience

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective As officers ordered occupants out of the car, Marquez jumped out of a rear passenger seat and, despite officers’ orders to stop, scaled a concrete retaining wall, authorities said. — David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2022 Investigators believe the vehicle struck a concrete barrier wall, causing the car to flip over and burst into flames. — Alexis Stevens, ajc, 3 Jan. 2022 More than 550 houses and business in Mexico were inundated because of a five-foot concrete wall that U.S. Border Patrol placed inside a tunnel that the International Boundary and Water Commission had built to improve drainage and prevent flooding. — Clara Migoya, The Arizona Republic, 31 Dec. 2021 Since turning 100, Ellers has painted his fence, re-stuccoed the front steps, stained the stairway banister, resurfaced a concrete wall in his garage and planted a flagpole, in the side yard, to honor Old Glory. — Mike Klingaman, baltimoresun.com, 29 Dec. 2021 Police were called to a single-car crash around 3 a.m. Dec. 12 where a Cleveland man, 27, escaped serious injury after striking the concrete median wall in his 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander. — Thomas Jewell, cleveland, 15 Dec. 2021 When powerful winds hit the sides of the building, the wind load travels up the concrete wall to the roof. — Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2021 The complex is surrounded by a concrete wall, curving to follow the contours of the rocky landscape. — Lene Bech Sillesen, Harper’s Magazine , 7 Dec. 2021 Again, hoards of people, including photographers, ogle the car from behind the concrete pit wall. — Jim Clash, Forbes, 14 Nov. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Rigolon acknowledged that having a large area of irrigated turf is preferable to asphalt or concrete. — Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 July 2021 Even as the White House tried to play down expectations beforehand, intense focus will continue on whether there will concrete results out of the summit. — Libby Cathey, ABC News, 16 June 2021 Aside from not trying to drill concrete with a bit made for wood, here are some factors for purchasing a set of quality bits that will last you more than one job. — The Editors, Field & Stream, 7 Dec. 2020 How could concrete contort that much without exploding into dust? — Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, 27 June 2020 The Kwai’s crew of 11, sailors accustomed to unloading anything from cars to concrete on isolated islands, uses winches and sweat to hoist the heavy nets from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where swirling currents gather floating debris. — Doug Struck, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 June 2020 That is, if the information gathered by investigators leads to concrete results within the church and the criminal justice system. — Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2020 The location will also serve local brews and frozen custard concretes with mix-ins by Chicago bakeries like Hot Chocolate Bakery and Bang Bang Pie. — Grace Wong, chicagotribune.com, 17 Oct. 2019 Small fish peer out from the necks of the jugs, which the passage of time has concreted into the seabed. — Elena Becatoros, The Seattle Times, 2 Aug. 2017 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun When vinyl flooring is glued to concrete that contains too much moisture, the moisture can break down the adhesive unless a waterproof membrane is installed first. — Washington Post, 17 Jan. 2022 The price of steel reinforcing bars for the concrete in apartment towers, for example, dropped by a quarter in October and November before stabilizing at a much lower level in December. — New York Times, 16 Jan. 2022 Again, there’s contrasting elements of cold wet concrete with living room with this Monet in the background. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 12 Jan. 2022 Other companies, like Advanced Earthen Construction Technologies, are now manufacturing homes out of earthen blocks, avoiding the use of lumber and concrete, both of which contribute to global warming. — Glenn Kelman For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, 10 Jan. 2022 The first concrete for the anchors and mast was poured on Oct. 24. — David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Jan. 2022 Built in 1984 with a combination of private funds and federal housing grants, the bland concrete tower with Chinese architectural flourishes didn’t impress many critics. — Frank Shyong Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2022 The concrete from the staircase shows up again in the kitchen island and as the living room’s fireplace mantelpiece. — J.s. Marcus, WSJ, 5 Jan. 2022 In a Swiss valley, an unusual multi-armed crane lifts two 35-ton concrete blocks high into the air. — Matt Reynolds, Wired, 4 Jan. 2022

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'concrete.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for concrete

Adjective

Middle English concret "(of words) denoting a quality as adherent in a substance rather than in isolation," borrowed from Medieval Latin concrētus "composite, solidified, (of words) denoting a quality adherent in a substance rather than in isolation," going back to Latin, "formed, composite, condensed, solid," from past participle of concrēscere "to coalesce, condense, solidify, harden" — more at concrescence

Verb

borrowed from Latin concrētus, past participle of concrēscere "to coalesce, condense, solidify, harden" — more at concrescence

Noun

derivative of concrete entry 1

Buying Guide

Our team at The Usage has selected the best floor cleaners.