concoct

[kon-kokt, kuhn-]

verb (used with object)

1. to prepare or make by combining ingredients, especially in cooking.

   We concocted a meal from leftovers since no one had time to stop at the store.

2. to devise; make up; contrive.

   He'll have to concoct an excuse for his absence if he wants to keep the job.

   Synonyms: hatch, fabricate, invent

concoct

/ kənˈkɒkt /

verb

1. to make by combining different ingredients

2. to invent; make up; contrive

Other Word Forms

• concoctive adjective
• concocter noun
• concoctor noun
• well-concocted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of concoct¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin concoctus (past participle of concoquere “to cook together”), equivalent to con- con- + coc-, variant stem of coquere “to boil, cook ¹ ” from Greek péptein; pepsin, peptic ) + -tus past participle ending

Word History and Origins

Origin of concoct¹

C16: from Latin concoctus cooked together, from concoquere, from coquere to cook

Example Sentences

The judge said on Friday the killer had "decided to concoct a lie and stage a scene".

From BBC

In the years-long struggle to regain control of her masters, Swift played up her role as the target of a cruel plan, concocted by a man who wanted to govern a woman’s art.

From Salon

It’s inventive gimmickry, but it makes the sweetness a concocted thing rather than a natural outgrowth of the material and setting and mood.

From Salon

"This was never about Autopilot; it was a fiction concocted by plaintiffs' lawyers blaming the car when the driver – from day one – admitted and accepted responsibility."

From BBC

White House spokesman Steven Cheung called the reports “nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media.”

From Salon

Related Words

• contrive 
• create 
• devise 
• discover 
• dream up 
• envision 
• fabricate 
• hatch 
• invent