concrete

1 of 3

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

2 of 3

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

3 of 3

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.

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

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.

Adjective

One is more than 300 years old, a structure that has been repaired and added to with modern concrete blocks. —

Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 20 Nov. 2024 The instinct towards respect was still in there, like concrete beneath asphalt. —

Dan Sheehan, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024

Verb

Reuters reported one member of the group concreted himself to the street while others stuck themselves to it, using what looked like to be the same method adopted in Thursday's airport disruptions. —

Peter Aitken, Fox News, 14 July 2023 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

Noun

The site is located on the outside of the north loop and is a full-sun site that has a mix of concrete and grass. —

Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024 An emergency rescue team eventually retrieved Montoya’s body on July 27 after removing nearly 50,000 pounds of concrete and debris. —

Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 13 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for concrete

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

Time Traveler

The first known use of concrete was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Concrete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concrete. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

concrete

1 of 3 adjective

con·crete (ˈ)kän-ˈkrēt

kən-

ˈkän-ˌkrēt

: naming a real thing or class of things : not abstract

"book" is a concrete noun but "goodness" is not

: belonging to or based on actual experience

concrete examples

: material entry 1 sense 1, real

concrete evidence

ˈkän-ˌkrēt,

kän-ˈkrēt

: relating to or made of concrete

a concrete wall

concretely adverb

concreteness noun

concrete

2 of 3 verb

con·crete ˈkän-ˌkrēt

(ˈ)kän-ˈkrēt

concreted; concreting

: solidify

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

concrete

3 of 3 noun

con·crete ˈkän-ˌkrēt

(ˈ)kän-ˈkrēt

: a hard strong building material made by mixing cement, sand, and gravel or broken rock with water

Last Updated: 24 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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concrete

adjective

verb

noun

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Synonyms

Examples of concrete in a Sentence

Word History

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near concrete

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition