concerted

IPA/kənˈsɜːtɪd/
KK[kənsˈɚtəd]IPA/kənˈsɜːrtɪd/

concerted — adjective

  • concertedpositive
  • more concertedcomparative
  • most concertedsuperlative

1. When several people, groups, or countries act together in a planned way to achie

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

When several people, groups, or countries act together in a planned way to achieve a goal that they all share.

Example

The neighbours made a concerted effort to clean up the park after the storm.

collocation: concerted effort + to-infinitive (joint goal)

Sahil and Yael launched a concerted campaign to raise money for the new community library.

collocation: concerted campaign + to-infinitive

Common collocations
  • concerted action
  • concerted campaign
  • concerted push
  • concerted attack
Synonyms
  • coordinated

    Focuses on timing and organisation; 'concerted' adds the idea of shared intention.

  • collaborative

    Emphasises working together; 'concerted' implies a more deliberate, planned quality.

  • joint

    Simpler term for shared ownership; 'concerted' stresses the effort behind it.

  • united

    Broader term for being in agreement; 'concerted' is more about coordinated action.

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

concerted + noun (effort, action, campaign, push, attempt)

Usage Note

Usually placed before a noun (attributive position). The subject of the action is always a group, organisation, or multiple parties — never a single individual acting alone.

Common Mistakes

The conductor gave a concerted performance.
The orchestra gave a concerted performance.
'concerted' in everyday English refers to joint action, not musical harmony; the musical sense is rare and technical.
He made a concerted decision to leave.
The committee made a concerted decision to reject the proposal.
A single person cannot act 'concertedly' in sense 1; the adjective implies multiple participants.

2. Describing an action that is carried out with strong resolve and a serious wish

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

Describing an action that is carried out with strong resolve and a serious wish to succeed, especially when the situation is challenging or the goal is hard to reach.

Example

Despite a twisted ankle, Quan made a concerted effort to finish the marathon.

collocation: concerted attempt + to-infinitive (determined)

The night-shift nurse made a concerted effort to stay alert through the long emergency ward shift.

Common collocations
  • concerted effort
  • concerted attempt
  • concerted drive
Synonyms
  • determined

    Describes a person's attitude; 'concerted' describes the action itself.

  • resolute

    More formal than 'concerted'; implies firmness in the face of opposition.

  • strenuous

    Focuses on physical or mental exertion; 'concerted' adds the idea of careful planning.

  • vigorous

    Emphasises energy and intensity; 'concerted' highlights determination over raw energy.

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

concerted + noun (effort, attempt, drive) + to-infinitive

Usage Note

Commonly appears in the fixed phrase 'concerted effort' — this is by far the most frequent pattern. Unlike sense 1, the agent can be a single person.

Common Mistakes

She concerted to win the match.
She made a concerted effort to win the match.
'concerted' is an adjective, not a verb; use 'make a concerted effort' or 'put in a concerted effort.'
The workers had a concerted meeting about safety.
The workers made a concerted effort to improve safety.
'concerted' describes the determination behind the effort, not the meeting itself.

Word family

  • concertedly
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe multiple parties acting together, but each has a different emphasis. 'Coordinated' stresses timing and organisation: a search operation can be coordinated without the participants sharing the same goal. 'Collaborative' focuses on working side by side, often on a creative or intellectual task such as a research paper. 'Joint' is the simplest and most general: a joint bank account is one held together, but no special effort is implied. 'United' conveys emotional or political unity: united voices at a protest. 'Concerted' combines the planning of 'coordinated' with the shared purpose of 'joint' — it always implies a deliberate, organised push toward a common target. For example, 'The charity launched a concerted fundraising drive' suggests careful planning and shared commitment, not just collaboration or coordination.

coordinated ↗collaborative ↗joint ↗united ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • make a concerted effort to ...
  • launch a concerted campaign
  • a concerted push for ...

Etymology

LatinItalianFrenchEnglish

The word comes from the Latin 'concertare', meaning to contend or strive together. It passed through Italian 'concertare' (to arrange, to plan together) into French 'concerter' and finally into English in the 1600s. The original sense of 'arranging in harmony' developed into the modern meanings of planned joint action and determined individual effort.

First known use

1652

1652, in the meaning defined at sense 1b