cook up

phrasal verb

cooked up; cooking up; cooks up
1
: to prepare (food) for eating especially quickly
I can cook up some hamburgers.
He cooked this whole meal up in less than 30 minutes.
2
: to invent (something, such as an idea, excuse, etc.) to deal with a particular situation
They cooked up a scheme to fool their neighbor.
You'll have to cook an excuse up quickly.

Examples of cook up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Community workers cooking up initiatives at the center of DEI have felt a seismic shift. Mennlay Golokeh Aggrey, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Nov. 2025 Vikes are headed south and Lions had a bye week to cook up a blowout. Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025 The restaurant cooked up hamburgers for fans. Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2025 The record is signature Oliver, Chris, and Jano cooking up a vibrant, melodic stew — part big-tent soul revival, part joyous dive into the abyss of whatever itch each member is wanting to scratch. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cook up

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cook up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cook%20up. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on cook up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!