What does concoct mean?
Concoct is a verb with two closely related senses. In its literal use, it means to prepare or create something by mixing together various ingredients, most commonly applied to food, drink, or remedies: one might concoct a soup, a cocktail, or a herbal tonic. In its far more frequent figurative use, it means to invent, devise, or fabricate something intangible — a story, an excuse, a scheme, or a plan — and this sense often carries a hint of cunning or dishonesty, as when someone concocts an elaborate lie. The word derives from the Latin concoquere, meaning to cook or digest by boiling, and entered English in the sixteenth century. It is standard in both British and American English and suits neutral to informal registers. Its noun form is concoction, which can refer either to a mixture that has been prepared or to something that has been invented.
verbTo make or prepare something, especially a food or drink, by mixing various ingredients; more broadly, to invent or devise something—such as a story, plan, or excuse—often with the implication of ingenuity or deceit.
- To prepare or make something by combining ingredients (especially food or drink).
- To invent, devise, or fabricate something such as a story, excuse, or plan — often implying cleverness or deception.
"She concocted an elaborate excuse to explain her absence from the meeting."
"The chef spent hours concocting a new sauce from scratch."
"He concocted an elaborate alibi to cover his tracks."
When you concoct a story, you're literally 'cooking it up' — the word comes from Latin for boiling ingredients together in a pot.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of concoct
Concoct comes from the Latin verb concoquere, formed from the prefix con- ('together') and coquere ('to cook'), literally meaning to boil or digest thoroughly. It entered English in the sixteenth century, initially carrying senses related to digestion and cooking before developing its figurative meaning of inventing or devising. It shares its root coquere with words such as decoct and decoction, and is cognate with terms like cook through the same Proto-Indo-European base.
Related word forms
How concoct is actually used
Both senses are common in modern English. The literal sense (preparing food/drink) is somewhat neutral, while the figurative sense often carries a slightly negative connotation of fabrication or deceit. Register is generally neutral to informal.
Easily confused with concoct
"Concoct" is the verb meaning to prepare or invent something, while "concoction" is the noun referring to the thing that has been prepared or invented.