# concrete

/ˈkɑnkɹit/ (US) · /kˈɒŋkɹiːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/concrete
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. building material

noun · CEFR B1

a hard, grey material used in building, made by mixing cement, sand, small stones, and water.

For teachers: a heavy-duty building material made from a mixture of broken stone or gravel, sand, cement, and water, which forms a stone-like mass upon hardening.

- The workers poured wet concrete into the wooden frame to make the new sidewalk.
- Modern architects often leave raw concrete exposed to highlight the industrial texture of the building's structural skeleton.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the substance; countable when referring to a specific slab or type.

### 2. real or tangible

adjective · CEFR B2

real and able to be seen or touched, rather than just an idea.

For teachers: pertaining to or concerned with realities or actual instances rather than abstractions.

- We need concrete evidence before we can accuse him of the crime.
- While the theory is intellectually stimulating, the board requires a more concrete proposal before they will commit any further funding to the project.

### 3. specific

adjective · CEFR B2

definite and specific, not general.

For teachers: particular or specific rather than general or vague.

- Could you give me a concrete example of how this software works?
- The manager asked for concrete figures regarding the quarterly losses instead of a general summary of the market downturn.

### 4. to cover with concrete

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to cover a surface with concrete.

For teachers: to cover, pave, or encase a surface or structure with concrete.

- They decided to concrete the backyard to make it easier to maintain.
- The engineers recommended that the entire base of the dam be concreted to prevent erosion from the high-pressure water flow.

Usage: Transitive verb; often used in the passive voice.

## Examples

- The workers poured fresh concrete to make the new sidewalk.
- After the wooden frame was built, the construction crew poured the concrete and left it to harden overnight.
- The architect chose exposed concrete for the building's exterior, appreciating its brutalist aesthetic and its ability to withstand harsh coastal weather without degrading.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.