WordGarden.ioconsist
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /kənsˈɪst/
US
- /kənˈsɪst/
Meanings
Verb
to be made up of particular parts, elements, or members
to have something as an essential feature or basis
Beyond the definition
When something consists of different parts, it means those parts make up the whole thing. A delicious fruit salad consists of strawberries, blueberries, and bananas—without those ingredients, you wouldn't have a fruit salad! It's like building with LEGO bricks: the final castle consists of many small pieces put together. Something can also consist of actions or qualities—for example, a good friendship consists of trust and loyalty.
Think of it this way: if you were to take something apart, the pieces would be what it consists of. A team consists of players, a story consists of chapters, and a recipe consists of ingredients. It's all about what makes up the bigger picture!
The word "consist" describes what something is composed of—its essential parts or elements. It's often used to explain what something is made from, rather than how it's made. For example: "This cake consists of flour, sugar, eggs, and butter." This tells you the ingredients, not the process of how they are mixed.
"Consist" can be used in a few different ways. Most commonly, it follows the structure "something consists of…" indicating what makes up that something. "The committee consists of five members" means those five people are the entirety of the committee.
However, "consist" can also describe being made up of intangible qualities. You might say, "True happiness consists of inner peace and meaningful relationships." Here, it's not physical ingredients but abstract elements that form the whole. You can also use it to define the essence of a concept: "Success often consists of hard work and a bit of luck."
You may also see the pattern "consist in," which is a more formal way to say that the main part of something is a certain activity or idea. For example, "Her job consists in helping new students" means that helping new students is what her job is mainly about.
Be careful not to confuse "consist" with "persist," which means to continue firmly despite difficulty! While both are verbs, they describe very different actions.
So whether you're describing the ingredients in a recipe, the members of a team, or the qualities that make up something important, "consist" is all about defining what makes up the whole—the building blocks of everything around us.
Examples
- 1
Exam structure
The final exam consists of three parts.
- 2
Breakfast
Her breakfast usually consists of coffee and toast.
- 3
Committee membership
The committee consists of teachers, parents, and two students.
- 4
Course content
The course consists mainly of practical work.
- Patternconsist mainly of
be made up mostly of
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Audience makeup
At that time, the audience consisted largely of local families.
- 6
Daily progress
Real progress consists in making small changes every day.
- Patternconsist in + activity/quality
depend on or be found in it
- 7
Personal success
For her, success doesn't consist in having a high salary.
See also
Similar
- comprise
- be composed of
- be made up of
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- consist of
- consist mainly of
- consist entirely of
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- consistverb
Forms
- consistsverb
- consisting-ing formverb
- consistedpast tenseverb