What does "concentrate" mean?
A substance that is in a condensed form.
Concentrate
/ˈkɑn.sən.tɹeɪt/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A substance that is in a condensed form.
- Grammar: concentrate is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abbreviate, abstract focus, accelerate, adjust concentration.
- Useful contrasts: attenuated, chemical lab mixing, dazed.
- Usage evidence: They're making too much noise. I can't concentrate.
How to use "concentrate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "concentrate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "concentrate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "concentrate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "concentrate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "concentrate" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abbreviate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "concentrate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A substance that is in a condensed form.
"orange concentrate"
- 2 a concentrated example of something wordnet
- 3 a concentrated form of a foodstuff; the bulk is reduced by removing water wordnet
- 4 the desired mineral that is left after impurities have been removed from mined ore wordnet
Verb
- 1 To bring to, or direct toward, a common center; to unite more closely; to gather into one body, mass, or force. ergative
"to concentrate rays of light into a focus"
- 2 cook until very little liquid is left wordnet
- 3 To increase the strength and diminish the bulk of, as of a liquid or an ore; to intensify, by getting rid of useless material; to condense.
"to concentrate acid by evaporation"
- 4 be cooked until very little liquid is left wordnet
- 5 To approach or meet in a common center; to consolidate.
"Population tends to concentrate in cities."
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 make denser, stronger, or purer wordnet
- 7 To focus one's thought or attention (on). intransitive
"(oneself)"
- 8 make more concise wordnet
- 9 compress or concentrate wordnet
- 10 make central wordnet
- 11 direct one's attention on something wordnet
- 12 draw together or meet in one common center wordnet
Adjective
- 1 concentrated
"It is, when good, a concentrate yellow."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"They're making too much noise. I can't concentrate."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "concentrate"?
Common synonyms include: abbreviate, abstract focus, accelerate, adjust concentration, aggravate, aggregating.
How do you use "concentrate" in a sentence?
They're making too much noise. I can't concentrate.
How do you pronounce "concentrate"?
Pronounced /ˈkɑn.sən.tɹeɪt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
(early 17th century) From a Romance language, see French concentrer, Italian concentràre, Spanish concentrar; alternatively from Medieval Latin/New Latin concentrō + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare also earlier concentre and German konzentrieren. By surface analysis, con- + center (centr- in compounds) + -ate (verb-forming suffix).
Etymology 2
From Medieval Latin/New Latin concentrātus, perfect passive participle of concentrō (“concentate”). See Etymology 1 and -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more.
Etymology 3
From a substantivation of the above adjective. See also -ate (noun-forming suffix). Compare French concentré and German Konzentrat.