concrete
B2Neutral to formal; common in technical, academic, business, and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A stonelike building material made by mixing cement, sand, gravel, and water, or something physically solid and real.
Existing in a material or physical form; real, solid, and specific rather than abstract, theoretical, or vague.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun (the material) and an adjective (real/specific). As an adjective, often contrasts with 'abstract' or 'theoretical'. Can imply usefulness, practicality, or tangibility.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major semantic differences. Minor usage frequency in compound terms (e.g., 'concrete jungle' is equally common). Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties. In adjective use, can slightly emphasise pragmatism in AmE, and solidity/reliability in BrE, but overlap is vast.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English in business contexts ('concrete plans', 'concrete results').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[to be] concrete (adj)to have [evidence/plans] that are concreteto make [something] concreteto pour/lay concrete (n)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “concrete jungle”
- “set in concrete”
- “a concrete overcoat”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
We need concrete figures before proceeding with the investment.
Academic
The study moved from abstract hypotheses to concrete, measurable data.
Everyday
Let's make a concrete plan for the weekend.
Technical
The foundation requires a 30-centimetre layer of reinforced concrete.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The path will be concreted over next week.
- They concreted the yard to create a patio.
American English
- The company concreted the entire parking lot.
- We need to concrete the base before installing the shed.
adverb
British English
- The ideas were presented concretely and persuasively.
- Think more concretely about the implementation.
American English
- She explained the process very concretely.
- The goals need to be defined concretely.
adjective
British English
- We require a concrete proposal by Friday.
- The police are searching for more concrete evidence.
American English
- Do you have any concrete data to support this?
- Let's focus on achieving concrete results.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The house is made of concrete and bricks.
- The floor is very hard because it's concrete.
- They poured concrete for the new driveway.
- We need a concrete date for the meeting.
- The report lacked concrete recommendations for improvement.
- Her argument was based on concrete financial data.
- The treaty must be followed by concrete actions to reduce emissions.
- Abstract principles must be rendered concrete through practical application.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CONSTRUCTION SITE: to build something real, you need CONCRETE. The word itself sounds solid and heavy.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS ARE BUILDINGS (e.g., 'to build a case on concrete evidence'). SOLIDITY IS CERTAINTY/REALITY (e.g., 'concrete plans').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'конкретный' in all its colloquial uses. English 'concrete' as an adjective does not mean 'specific' in the sense of 'a certain' (e.g., 'a concrete person' is wrong). It means 'real, tangible, not abstract'. Also, 'бетон' is only the material noun.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'concrete' to mean 'specific' without the sense of tangible reality (e.g., 'I met a concrete guy' - incorrect). Overusing as an adjective where 'specific' or 'definite' is better. Confusing 'concrete' (adj) with 'concreted' (verb, meaning solidified).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following uses of 'concrete' is INCORRECT?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, though less common. It means 'to cover with or fix in concrete' (e.g., 'They concreted the backyard').
'Specific' means particular or clearly defined. 'Concrete' emphasises being real, tangible, and not abstract. Something can be specific but still abstract (e.g., 'a specific idea'). 'Concrete' implies physical or practical reality.
As the building material, it is a mass (uncountable) noun (e.g., 'a load of concrete'). You do not say 'a concrete' or 'concretes' for the material.
It means a plan or decision is fixed and cannot be changed. A variant is 'written in stone'.