cook up
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
Understanding what causes pasta to turn rubbery, and how to prevent it, can help ensure your pasta dishes cook up perfectly every time.
—
Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
Summertime is the ideal time to break out the grill and cook up a tasty feast.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 May 2026
Mark Jenkin cooks up yet another distinctive otherworldly feature like no other.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
If only to admire the amazing lead image our art team cooked up.
—Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cook up
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Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
Summertime is the ideal time to break out the grill and cook up a tasty feast.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 May 2026
Mark Jenkin cooks up yet another distinctive otherworldly feature like no other.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
If only to admire the amazing lead image our art team cooked up.
—Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cook up
Cite this Entry
“Cook up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cook%20up. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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