brew

5 synonyms and 1 antonym for brew, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To make a drink such as tea, coffee, or beer by steeping or fermenting ingredients in hot water.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

steep

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

ferment infuse concoct brewage

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To make a drink such as tea, coffee, or beer by steeping or fermenting ingredients in hot water.

“She brewed a fresh pot of coffee.”

ferment steep infuse concoct

2. verb

To be building up or developing, often used of trouble, storms, or arguments.

“You could tell a storm was brewing.”

Opposites

abate

3. noun

A drink made by brewing, or informally, a beer.

“Fancy a brew?”

brewage

How to use brew

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

brew coffee brew beer trouble is brewing a storm brewing

Etymology

From Old English brēowan, an ancient Germanic word for boiling or fermenting liquid, related distantly to the English word "burn".

Full origin of brew →

Frequently asked questions

What does “brew” mean?

The word “brew” means to make a drink such as tea, coffee, or beer by steeping or fermenting ingredients in hot water. In plain terms, to make tea, coffee, or beer, or to describe tension/trouble building up.

How do you pronounce “brew”?

“Brew” is pronounced broo (/bɹuː/ in IPA).

How do you use “brew” in a sentence?

Here is “brew” used in a sentence: “She brewed a fresh pot of coffee.”

What part of speech is “brew”?

Depending on how it is used, “brew” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “brew” come from?

The word “brew” comes from Old English. From Old English brēowan, an ancient Germanic word for boiling or fermenting liquid, related distantly to the English word "burn".

Is “brew” a common word?

“Brew” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “brew” have?

“Brew” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make a drink such as tea, coffee, or beer by steeping or fermenting ingredients in hot water.

What is the difference between "brew" and "steep"?

"Brew" refers to making a drink such as tea, coffee, or beer by steeping or fermenting ingredients in hot water, while "steep" specifically means soaking ingredients, like tea leaves, in hot water to draw out flavor. Brewing can include steeping as one step in a broader process, especially for beer, which also requires fermentation.

What does it mean when trouble is "brewing"?

When trouble, a storm, or an argument is described as "brewing," it means it is building up or developing, much like a drink develops flavor during brewing. This figurative use draws on something forming gradually before it fully emerges.

What does "brew" mean as a noun?

As a noun, "brew" refers to a drink made by brewing, such as tea or coffee, or informally to a beer, as in "grab a cold brew."

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steep abate ferment infuse concoct

Nearby words

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