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
Standing over a compost bin, Lenches-Hinkel explained how nature cooks up a biologically rich blend.
—
Kara Finnstrom, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
This cooks up to about one cup of cooked pasta.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2026
The company will be at the LA Screenings in May looking to cook up deals on the slate.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
Wearing an apron and a hachimaki headband, he could be seen cooking up a storm and even showing off his skills igniting a volcano onion.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cook up
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Kara Finnstrom, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
This cooks up to about one cup of cooked pasta.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2026
The company will be at the LA Screenings in May looking to cook up deals on the slate.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
Wearing an apron and a hachimaki headband, he could be seen cooking up a storm and even showing off his skills igniting a volcano onion.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 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 28 Apr. 2026.
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