concert
B1Neutral, suitable for both formal and informal contexts when referring to a musical event; slightly formal when meaning 'agreement/joint action'.
Definition
Meaning
A musical performance given in public, typically by several performers.
Also refers to the concept of agreement, harmony, or joint action in a non-musical context (e.g., 'working in concert').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun has two distinct meanings: 1) a musical performance. 2) agreement, harmony. The verb form ('to concert a plan') is now rare and formal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. The word is used identically in both main senses.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties for the primary 'musical performance' sense.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[attend/go to/see] + concert[give/hold/put on] + concertconcert + [of/featuring]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in concert (with)”
- “a concert of praise”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in 'acting in concert' (finance/legal term for coordinated action by investors).
Academic
Used in musicology; also in political science/history for 'concert of Europe'.
Everyday
Primarily for discussing music events.
Technical
Specific in music (e.g., 'concert pitch').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The allies concert their strategies in secret.
American English
- The committee will concert its efforts to pass the bill.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- Not applicable.
adjective
British English
- The violinist tuned to concert pitch.
American English
- He plays a concert grand piano.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We went to a concert in the park.
- The concert last night was absolutely brilliant.
- The charity concert raised thousands for the local hospital.
- The great powers acted in concert to broker the peace deal.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CONCERT where the whole band plays in harmony, or people act in CONCERT (together).
Conceptual Metaphor
HARMONY IS MUSIC (e.g., 'working in concert').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with Russian 'концерт' which is a direct cognate and has the same primary meaning. The secondary meaning ('agreement') is less common in Russian usage.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'concert' as a verb in everyday speech (archaic). Confusing 'in concert with' (formal) with 'together with' (neutral).
Practice
Quiz
Which of these is the most common modern meaning of 'concert'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's used for any genre of live music performance (rock concert, pop concert, etc.).
It's a formal phrase meaning 'working together in a coordinated way' (e.g., 'The agencies acted in concert').
The standard tuning pitch for musical instruments (A=440 Hz), or metaphorically, a state of readiness.
Yes, but it is now rare and formal, meaning 'to arrange or plan jointly'.
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Travel and Culture
B1 · 48 words · Cultural experiences and traveling the world.