Standard Lemma guide

concrete

adj · noun · verb · 23 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈkɒnkɹiːt/
  • Received-Pronunciation: [ˈkɒŋkɹiːt]
  • Received-Pronunciation: [kəŋˈkɹiːt]
  • General-American, dialectal: /ˌkɑnˈkɹit/ of Canada
  • General-American, dialectal: [ˌkɑŋˈkɹiːt] of Canada
  • General-American, dialectal: /ˈkɑnkɹit/ of Canada
  • General-American, dialectal: [ˈkɑŋkɹiːt] of Canada
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • South-Asia: /kɔn.kriʈ/
  • South-Asia: /kɔŋk.riʈ/
  • rhymes with -iːt
  • Received-Pronunciation: /kənˈkɹiːt/
  • CMU ARPABET: K AH0 N K R IY1 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: K AA1 N K R IY0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Real, actual, tangible.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Fuzzy videotapes and distorted sound recordings are not concrete evidence that Bigfoot exists.
  • Once arrested, I realized that handcuffs are concrete, even if my concept of what is legal wasn't.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Real, actual, tangible.

Analogous to the categories of algebraic objects which category theory was created to generalize, in the sense of having objects which can be thought of as sets equipped with some additional structure. Formally, equipped with a faithful functor to the category of sets.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: category-theory, computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Real, actual, tangible.

Equipped with a faithful functor to X (called a base category), in which case C is called a concrete category over X.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

Qualifier: topos theory

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Being or applying to actual things, rather than abstract qualities or categories.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: intangible, abstract

5

adj

Meaning 5

Particular, specific, rather than general.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • While everyone else offered thoughts and prayers, she made a concrete proposal to help.
  • concrete ideas

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: concrete, discrete, individual, particular, peculiar, proper, singular, specific

Antonyms: catholic, common, ecumenical, general, generic, nonsingular, nonspecific, universal, unparticular, unsingular, unspecific

6

adj

Meaning 6

Made of concrete (building material).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • The office building had concrete flower boxes out front.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adj

Meaning 7

Made up of separate parts; composite.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: discrete

8

adj

Meaning 8

Not liquid or fluid; solid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A building material created by mixing cement, water, and aggregate such as gravel and sand.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Various types of concrete have been used in the construction of this highway.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

A building material created by mixing cement, water, and aggregate such as gravel and sand.

Such a material whose cement is Portland cement or a similar limestone derivative.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, especially, uncountable

Examples

  • The sidewalk was made of concrete that had been poured in large slabs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

A term designating both a quality and the subject in which it exists; a concrete term.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, logic, mathematics, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

A dessert of frozen custard with various toppings.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

An extract of herbal materials that has a semi-solid consistency, especially when such materials are partly aromatic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: perfumery

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

noun

Meaning 14

Sugar boiled down from cane juice to a solid mass.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, possibly, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

noun

Meaning 15

Any solid mass formed by the coalescence of separate particles; a compound substance, a concretion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

verb

Meaning 16

To cover with or encase in concrete (building material).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive, usually

Examples

  • I hate grass, so I concreted over my lawn.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

verb

Meaning 17

To solidify: to change from being abstract to being concrete (actual, real).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

verb

Meaning 18

To unite or coalesce into a solid mass.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

19

adjective

Meaning 19

capable of being perceived by the senses; not abstract or imaginary

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • concrete objects such as trees

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: abstract

20

adjective satellite

Meaning 20

formed by the coalescence of particles

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

21

noun

Meaning 21

a strong hard building material composed of sand and gravel and cement and water

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: building material, paving, pavement, paving material

Narrower terms: cement, reinforced concrete, ferroconcrete

22

verb

Meaning 22

form into a solid mass; coalesce

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: solidify

23

verb

Meaning 23

cover with cement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • concrete the walls

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cover

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin concrētus, past participle of concrescō (to curdle) from con- (with, together) + crescō (to grow, rise).

Across languages

Translations

271 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: канкрэ́тны (kankrétny) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Belarusian: пэ́ўны (péwny) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Bulgarian: конкретен (konkreten) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Bulgarian: определен (opredelen) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Catalan: concret — particular, perceivable, real
  • Chinese Mandarin: 切實的 /切实的 (qièshí de) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Chinese Mandarin: 具體的 /具体的 (jùtǐ de) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Danish: konkret — particular, perceivable, real
  • Dutch: concreet — particular, perceivable, real
  • Esperanto: reala — particular, perceivable, real
  • Esperanto: palpebla — particular, perceivable, real
  • Estonian: konkreetne — particular, perceivable, real
  • Finnish: konkreettinen — particular, perceivable, real
  • Finnish: kouriintuntuva — particular, perceivable, real
  • French: concret — particular, perceivable, real
  • German: konkret — particular, perceivable, real
  • German: bestimmt — particular, perceivable, real
  • German: genau — particular, perceivable, real
  • Greek: υλικός (ylikós) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Hungarian: konkrét — particular, perceivable, real
  • Indonesian: konkret — particular, perceivable, real
  • Italian: concreto — particular, perceivable, real
  • Italian: reale — particular, perceivable, real
  • Japanese: 実際の (jissai no) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Latvian: konkrēts — particular, perceivable, real
  • Lithuanian: konkretus — particular, perceivable, real
  • Macedonian: определен (opredelen) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Macedonian: конкретен (konkreten) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Malay: utuh — particular, perceivable, real
  • Malay: ketara — particular, perceivable, real
  • Malay: konkrit — particular, perceivable, real
  • Malay: konkret — particular, perceivable, real
  • Malayalam: മൂർത്ത (mūṟtta) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Mongolian: тодорхой (todorxoj) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Norwegian: konkret — particular, perceivable, real
  • Polish: konkretny — particular, perceivable, real
  • Portuguese: concreto — particular, perceivable, real
  • Romanian: concret — particular, perceivable, real
  • Russian: конкре́тный (konkrétnyj) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Russian: определённый (opredeljónnyj) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Sicilian: cuncritu — particular, perceivable, real
  • Sicilian: riali — particular, perceivable, real
  • Slovak: skutočný — particular, perceivable, real
  • Slovak: reálny — particular, perceivable, real
  • Slovak: hmatateľný — particular, perceivable, real
  • Slovak: konkrétny — particular, perceivable, real
  • Spanish: concreto — particular, perceivable, real
  • Swedish: konkret — particular, perceivable, real
  • Swedish: påtaglig — particular, perceivable, real
  • Ukrainian: конкре́тний (konkrétnyj) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Ukrainian: пе́вний (pévnyj) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Yiddish: קאָנקרעט (konkret) — particular, perceivable, real
  • Arabic: مَادِّيّ (māddiyy) — not abstract
  • Belarusian: сапра́ўдны (sapráwdny) — not abstract
  • Belarusian: рэа́льны (reálʹny) — not abstract
  • Bulgarian: реален (realen) — not abstract
  • Bulgarian: действителен (dejstvitelen) — not abstract
  • Catalan: concret — not abstract
  • Chinese Mandarin: 具體的 /具体的 (jùtǐ de) — not abstract
  • Czech: konkrétní — not abstract
  • Czech: srostitý — not abstract
  • Danish: konkret — not abstract
  • Dutch: concreet — not abstract
  • Esperanto: konkreta — not abstract
  • Finnish: konkreettinen — not abstract
  • Finnish: kouriintuntuva — not abstract
  • French: concret — not abstract
  • German: konkret — not abstract
  • Greek: συγκεκριμένος (sygkekriménos) — not abstract
  • Hungarian: konkrét — not abstract
  • Italian: concreto — not abstract
  • Italian: reale — not abstract
  • Japanese: 具体的 (gutaiteki) — not abstract
  • Latin: concretus — not abstract
  • Latin: corporalis — not abstract
  • Latvian: konkrēts — not abstract
  • Malayalam: മൂർത്ത (mūṟtta) — not abstract
  • Mongolian: бодит (bodit) — not abstract
  • Norwegian: konkret — not abstract
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: konkret — not abstract
  • Polish: konkretny — not abstract
  • Romanian: concret — not abstract
  • Russian: реа́льный (reálʹnyj) — not abstract
  • Russian: действи́тельный (dejstvítelʹnyj) — not abstract
  • Scottish Gaelic: rudail — not abstract
  • Sicilian: cuncritu — not abstract
  • Sicilian: riali — not abstract
  • Slovak: ozajstný — not abstract
  • Slovak: reálny — not abstract
  • Slovak: skutočný — not abstract
  • Spanish: concreto — not abstract
  • Swedish: konkret — not abstract
  • Turkish: somut — not abstract
  • Ukrainian: спра́вжній (správžnij) — not abstract
  • Ukrainian: ді́йсний (díjsnyj) — not abstract
  • Ukrainian: реа́льний (reálʹnyj) — not abstract
  • Yiddish: קאָנקרעט (konkret) — not abstract
  • Bulgarian: бетонен (betonen) — made of concrete
  • Chinese Cantonese: 石屎 (sek6 si2) — made of concrete
  • Chinese Cantonese: 三合土 (saam1 hap6 tou2) — made of concrete
  • Chinese Cantonese: 混凝土 (wan6 jing4 tou2) — made of concrete
  • Chinese Mandarin: 混凝土的 (hùnníngtǔ de) — made of concrete
  • Crimean Tatar: beton — made of concrete
  • Czech: betonový — made of concrete
  • Danish: beton- — made of concrete
  • Dutch: betonnen — made of concrete
  • Esperanto: betona — made of concrete
  • Finnish: betoninen — made of concrete
  • Finnish: betoni- — made of concrete
  • French: de béton — made of concrete
  • German: aus Beton — made of concrete
  • German: beton- — made of concrete
  • Greek: τσιμεντένιος (tsimenténios) — made of concrete
  • Hungarian: beton — made of concrete
  • Irish: coincréiteach — made of concrete
  • Italian: calcestruzzo — made of concrete
  • Italian: cemento — made of concrete
  • Japanese: コンクリートの (konkurīto no) — made of concrete
  • Latvian: betona — made of concrete
  • Norwegian: betong- — made of concrete
  • Polish: betonowy — made of concrete
  • Portuguese: concreto — made of concrete
  • Romanian: de beton — made of concrete
  • Russian: бето́нный (betónnyj) — made of concrete
  • Campidanese Sardinian: biaroni — made of concrete
  • Slovak: betónový — made of concrete
  • Slovak: z betónu — made of concrete
  • Spanish: de concreto — made of concrete
  • Spanish: de hormigón — made of concrete
  • Swedish: betong- — made of concrete
  • Yiddish: בעטאָנען (betonen) — made of concrete
  • Afrikaans: beton — building material
  • Albanian: beton — building material
  • Arabic: خَرَسَانَة (ḵarasāna) — building material
  • Armenian: բետոն (beton) — building material
  • Asturian: formigón — building material
  • Azerbaijani: beton — building material
  • Basque: hormigoi — building material
  • Belarusian: бето́н (bjetón) — building material
  • Bengali: কংক্রিট (koṅkriṭ) — building material
  • Breton: betoñs — building material
  • Breton: beton — building material
  • Bulgarian: бето́н (betón) — building material
  • Burmese: ကွန်ကရစ် (kwanka.rac) — building material
  • Catalan: formigó — building material
  • Cherokee: ᎠᏰᏍᏛᏗ (ayesdvdi) — building material
  • Chinese Mandarin: 混凝土 (hùnníngtǔ) — building material
  • Chinese Mandarin: 砼 (tóng) — building material
  • Crimean Tatar: beton — building material
  • Czech: beton — building material
  • Danish: beton — building material
  • Dutch: beton — building material
  • Esperanto: betono — building material
  • Estonian: betoon — building material
  • Faroese: betong — building material
  • Finnish: betoni — building material
  • French: béton — building material
  • Galician: formigón — building material
  • Georgian: ბეტონი (beṭoni) — building material
  • German: Beton — building material
  • Greek: σκυρόδεμα (skyródema) — building material
  • Greenlandic: betonngi — building material
  • Hebrew: בֶּטוֹן (betón) — building material
  • Hindi: कंक्रीट (kaṅkrīṭ) — building material
  • Hungarian: beton — building material
  • Hunsrik: Konkrett — building material
  • Icelandic: steinsteypa — building material
  • Icelandic: steypa — building material
  • Indonesian: beton — building material
  • Indonesian: corcoran — building material
  • Irish: coincréit — building material
  • Italian: calcestruzzo — building material
  • Italian: cemento — building material
  • Italian: beton — building material
  • Japanese: コンクリート (konkurīto) — building material
  • Javanese: beton — building material
  • Jeju: 공거리 (gonggeori) — building material
  • Kazakh: бетон (beton) — building material
  • Khmer: បេតុង (beetong) — building material
  • Korean: 콘크리트 (konkeuriteu) — building material
  • Kyrgyz: бетон (beton) — building material
  • Lao: ຄອນກີດ (khǭn kīt) — building material
  • Latin: opus caementicium — building material
  • Latin: caementicium — building material
  • Latvian: betons — building material
  • Lithuanian: betonas — building material
  • Luxembourgish: Bëtong — building material
  • Macedonian: бетон (beton) — building material
  • Malay: konkrit — building material
  • Malay: konkret — building material
  • Malay: beton — building material
  • Malayalam: കോൺക്രീറ്റ് (kōṇkrīṟṟŭ) — building material
  • Maltese: konkos — building material
  • Māori: raima — building material
  • Minangkabau: beton — building material
  • Mongolian: бетон (beton) — building material
  • Norwegian Bokmål: betong — building material
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: betong — building material
  • Persian: بتن (beton) — building material
  • Polish: beton — building material
  • Portuguese: betão — building material
  • Portuguese: concreto — building material
  • Romanian: beton — building material
  • Russian: бето́н (betón) — building material
  • Samogitian: vakna — building material
  • Scottish Gaelic: cruadhtan — building material
  • Serbo-Croatian: бетон — building material
  • Serbo-Croatian: beton — building material
  • Slovak: betón — building material
  • Slovene: beton — building material
  • Spanish: hormigón — building material
  • Spanish: concreto — building material
  • Spanish: garujo — building material
  • Spanish: nuégado — building material
  • Spanish: mazacote — building material
  • Spanish: masacote — building material
  • Swahili: zege — building material
  • Swedish: betong — building material
  • Tajik: бетон (beton) — building material
  • Thai: คอนกรีต (kɔn-grìit) — building material
  • Turkish: beton — building material
  • Turkish: dongu — building material
  • Turkmen: beton — building material
  • Ukrainian: бето́н (betón) — building material
  • Urdu: کنکریٹ (kankrīṭ) — building material
  • Uzbek: beton — building material
  • Vietnamese: bê tông — building material
  • Yiddish: בעטאָן (beton) — building material
  • Yoruba: kankéré — building material
  • Bulgarian: бетонирам (betoniram) — cover with concrete
  • Czech: betonovat — cover with concrete
  • Czech: zabetonovat — cover with concrete
  • Danish: gøre til en fast masse — cover with concrete
  • Dutch: betonneren — cover with concrete
  • Finnish: betonoida — cover with concrete
  • French: bétonner — cover with concrete
  • German: betonieren — cover with concrete
  • German: einbetonieren — cover with concrete
  • Greek: επικαλύπτω με σκυρόδεμα (epikalýpto me skyródema) — cover with concrete
  • Hungarian: betonoz — cover with concrete
  • Irish: coincréitigh — cover with concrete
  • Italian: coprire/ricoprire di calcestruzzo/cemento — cover with concrete
  • Italian: cementificare — cover with concrete
  • Polish: betonować — cover with concrete
  • Portuguese: concretar — cover with concrete
  • Russian: бетони́ровать (betonírovatʹ) — cover with concrete
  • Spanish: hormigonar — cover with concrete
  • Bulgarian: конкретизирам се (konkretiziram se) — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Chinese Mandarin: 凝結 /凝结 (níngjié) — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Danish: størkne — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Danish: blive hård — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Danish: blive konkret — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Danish: konkretisere — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Dutch: concretiseren — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Dutch: concreet worden — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Dutch: vorm aannemen — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Finnish: konkretisoitua — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • French: concréter — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • French: concrétiser — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • German: konkretisieren — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Greek: στερεοποιούμαι (stereopoioúmai) — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Hungarian: megszilárdít — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Italian: solidificare — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Italian: solidificarsi — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Italian: concretizzare — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Italian: concretizzarsi — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Portuguese: concretizar — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Russian: тверде́ть (tverdétʹ) — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Spanish: concretar — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Swedish: ta form — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
  • Swedish: bli konkret — solidify, become concrete (actual, real)
Real reading context

concrete in complete knowledge articles