consist
Americanverb (used without object)
-
consists,
present (3rd person singular)
-
consisted,
past participle, past
-
consisting
present participle
-
to be made up or composed (usually followed byof ).
This cake consists mainly of sugar, flour, and butter.
-
to be comprised or contained (usually followed byin ).
Her charm does not consist only in her beauty.
-
Archaic. to exist together or be capable of existing together.
-
Obsolete. to insist; urge.
noun
verb
-
(foll by of) to be composed (of); be formed (of)
syrup consists of sugar and water
-
to have its existence (in); lie (in); be expressed (by)
his religion consists only in going to church
-
to be compatible or consistent; accord
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
consistsimple
-
consistssimple
-
have consistedperfect
-
has consistedperfect
-
am consistingprogressive
-
are consistingprogressive
-
is consistingprogressive
-
have been consistingperfect progressive
-
has been consistingperfect progressive
Past
-
consistedsimple
-
had consistedperfect
-
was consistingprogressive
-
were consistingprogressive
-
had been consistingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of consist
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin consistere “to stand together, stand firm,” from con- con- + sistere “to stand, cause to stand”; see also stand, stasis, status
Explanation
Almost always used with the preposition "of," the verb consist means to be made up of, or composed of something. A heated conversation might consist of only two words: "yes" and "no." If you're talking about something that is made up of other things, consist is your word. A molecule consists of atoms and their bonds. Consist is often used in the past tense, so you're likely to hear it used in a sentence like "the game consisted of fourteen players and one stick." But you can use it in the present tense too. Grammar consists of many, many different rules, all of which are applied differently, depending on whether you're speaking or writing. The clubs all consist of singers, and singers only. If you play an instrument, look elsewhere, bud.
Vocabulary lists containing consist
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Because of Winn-Dixie
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As well as a mayor, or local government figure, the regional bodies could consist of an independent chair, experts, and representatives to cover affected sectors like transport and agriculture.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
Rather than forming one solid coral wall, the reef appears to consist of separate coral patches growing on rocky sections of the seabed where conditions are suitable.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
The Flash model series is designed to be smaller, cheaper and faster to run, but lacks the power of the biggest models, which consist of trillions of numerical parameters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
And looking back on individual albums, maybe 10 to 20 years later, I want them to consist of all the good memories that we’ve shared together, and I feel like that would be the legacy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
One day’s main meal might consist of cabbage and fatback.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
There is an old joke that 95% of investing success consists of knowing what not to do.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
More than 85% of the rice people eat consists of starch.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026
From there, Saylor’s opinion consists mostly of expressions of bafflement at the idea that anyone would ever take this policy proposal seriously.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
The island nation's cuisine predominantly consists of fish, vegetables, and rice - and less saturated fat than many Western diets.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
One of the commonest forms of tree-blindness consists of a failure to look carefully at each branch of a coordination.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
The state’s license plate sequence for the past 46 years has consisted of one number, followed by three letters, followed by three numbers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
What’s more interesting, then, is not the proposal itself, which consisted of only a sentence, but the reason Johnson felt the need to introduce the measure in the first place.
From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2026
For decades, most known fossils of Paranthropus boisei consisted of skulls, including specimens with exceptionally large jaws and teeth.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
However, a big chunk of the earnings consisted of paper gains from marking up equity investments in other companies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
His moving collective consisted of him, a dented bread truck, and a group of full- and part-time helpers hired according to availability and the size of any given job.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
The boat is named Rarebit, which is also the name of a traditional Welsh meal consisting of seasoned melted cheese sauce served over hot toast.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
Scientists know of only one population, consisting of fewer than 50 individuals in an area smaller than a football pitch.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
In connection with its restructuring, Zscaler said it would incur charges of about $30 million to $33 million, consisting mostly of employee and severance benefits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
“I generally do not charge a fee unless the package ends up consisting of lots of items that are not commissionable — which I try to avoid,” she said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
Bands are the tiniest societies, consisting typically of 5 to 80 people, most or all of them close relatives by birth or by marriage.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
