concrete

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adjective

con·crete (ˌ)kän-ˈkrēt

ˈkän-ˌkrēt,

kən-ˈkrēt

Synonyms of concrete next

: naming a real thing or class of things

the word poem is concrete, poetry is abstract

: formed by coalition of particles into one solid mass

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

: specific, particular

a concrete proposal

: real, tangible

concrete evidence

: relating to or made of concrete

a concrete wall

concretely adverb

concreteness noun

concrete

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verb

con·crete ˈkän-ˌkrēt

kän-ˈkrēt

concreted; concreting

transitive verb

: to form into a solid mass : solidify

: combine, blend

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

: to cover with, form of, or set in concrete

The statues were concreted to the ground.

intransitive verb

: to become concreted

concrete

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noun

con·crete ˈkän-ˌkrēt

(ˌ)kän-ˈkrēt

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

: 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

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

Did you know?

We can trace "concrete" back to the Latin verb concrescere, meaning "to grow together." Appropriately, when it 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.

Example Sentences

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

Noonan discouraged fans from trying that at Gillette, where the stadium is surrounded by a moat of concrete parking lots that are off-limits to anyone who does not have a ticket. —

Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 17 May 2023 The speeding car, in a misguided attempt to outrun photogs, collided with a concrete pillar in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel. —

Morgan Hines, USA TODAY, 17 May 2023 Laurie Shaver, 40, was released on bond in 2020 after she was accused of shooting her 36-year-old husband Michael Shaver once in the head, wrapping his body in a sheet and burying him beneath a concrete slab and fire pit outside their Clermont home, according to an affidavit for her arrest. —

Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 17 May 2023 Here, designer Jenn Feldman kept things tonal, with a concrete fire pit and complementary wicker seating. —

Alyssa Longobucco, House Beautiful, 17 May 2023 As for someone who purchased a home before the ban with the intent of turning it into a short-term rental, Lussier said the terms of that scenario are not concrete. —

Myah Taylor, Dallas News, 16 May 2023 On March 9, 2018, investigators who had a search warrant found Michael's body buried underneath a concrete slab and a fire pit Laurie had allegedly placed there to cover up the burial spot on the couple's five-acre property, the Sheriff's Office said. —

Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 16 May 2023 School avoidance is not a concrete diagnosis and looks different in every child. —

USA Today, 15 May 2023 Our adjacent apartment buildings had identical flights of concrete stairs that led up to the front doors. —

Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2023

Verb

These stipulations have helped concrete over huge chunks of America—there are between three and six car parking spaces per car in the US, numbering up to 2 billion in total, according to some estimates. —

Oliver Milman, WIRED, 7 Jan. 2023 Rigolon acknowledged that having a large area of irrigated turf is preferable to asphalt or concrete. —

Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 July 2022

Noun

That's more costly than installing a vinyl liner or pouring concrete. —

Kate Mcgregor, House Beautiful, 5 May 2023 The floor finishes will be a mix of polished concrete and carpet, according to information from the building authority. —

Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press, 3 May 2023 Here’s the state of play for big disclosure rules on the table: Each year, the federal government purchases about $665 billion in goods and services from a range of contractors, including energy intensive industries making steel, asphalt, concrete and other construction materials. —

Steven Mufson, Washington Post, 2 May 2023 Bedri said she was resigned to making a journey that could see her mother sprawled on the concrete in Port Sudan for days waiting for a boat. —

Katharine Houreld And Claire Parker, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Apr. 2023 Average lifespan: 75 to 100 years Average cost: $25,000 Clay and Concrete Tiles From reddish-orange terracotta to textured gray concrete, tile roofing is meant to last a lifetime (or longer). —

Good Housekeeping, 25 Apr. 2023 But 18 seconds later, the weapon detonates, causing the ground underneath to bubble up, rupturing the surrounding concrete in a ball of fire and debris. —

Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 22 Apr. 2023 Though three slabs of wet concrete awaited hand and footprints from the 2022 Alabama football captains, only two arrived with a few thousand fans watching at Denny Chimes. —

Michael Casagrande | Mcasagrande@al.com, al, 22 Apr. 2023 Zagorski said that people may also experience bed sores from resting on hard surfaces like concrete for hours at a time with no movement. —

Kerry Breen, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'concrete.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1590, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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