What are the definitions of “cobble together”?

Learn how to use these expressions through these examples

1Make, assemble or produce something quickly, without much care.
They COBBLED a few pages TOGETHER and submitted it.

What’s the most common meaning of the phrasal verb “cobble together”?

The most common meaning of the phrasal verb cobble together is to make, assemble, or produce something quickly and without much care. It often implies that the result may not be of the highest quality or may be improvised.

What are the different verb forms of “cobble together”?

Root Verb	cobble together
Third Person Singular Present	cobbles together
Present Participle	cobbling together
Simple Past	cobbled together
Past Participle	cobbled together

Example

She cobbled together a meal from the leftovers in the fridge.

Example

He cobbles together a makeshift shelter for the night.

Example

They are cobbling together a plan to fix the problem.

Example

We cobbled together a presentation at the last minute.

Example

The team had cobbled together a solution just in time.

What kind of phrasal verb is “cobble together”?

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Notes from a Native English Speaker

What is a transitive and intransitive verb? - A transitive verb always has an object after it. (Example: Sam bought a car.) - An intransitive verb never has an object.(Example: She laughed loudly.)

Transitive verb

“cobble together” is a transitive phrasal verb because it requires a direct object to complete its meaning. The direct object specifies what is being removed, obtained, or eliminated.

Example

She cobbled together a meal from the leftovers.

Example

He cobbled a makeshift shelter together for the night.

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Notes from a Native English Speaker

What is a separable and inseparable phrasal verb? - A “separable phrasal verb” can be separated with an object between the verb and particle. - An “inseparable phrasal verb” cannot be separated by an object.

Inseparable

“cobble together” is an inseparable phrasal verb. This means that you can’t place an object between the verb and the particle, otherwise, it changes the meaning of the phrasal verb.

Example

She cobbled together a meal from the leftovers.

Example

He cobbled a makeshift shelter together for the night.

What are common phrases and expressions that include the phrasal verb “cobble together”?

Cobble something together

To create something quickly and without much care, often using available materials or resources.

Example

The students cobbled together a project using recycled materials.

Cobble together a plan

To quickly create a plan or strategy, often without much thought or preparation.

Example

We need to cobble together a plan to deal with this unexpected situation.

Cobble together a solution

To quickly find or create a solution to a problem, often using limited resources or time.

Example

The team cobbled together a solution to the technical issue before the deadline.

Good things to know

Does “cobble together” have an informal or formal tone?

Cobble together is generally considered informal and is more commonly used in casual conversations or everyday speech. In more formal settings, alternative phrases such as 'assemble hastily' or 'put together quickly' may be more appropriate.

What are synonyms of antonyms to the phrasal verb “cobble together”?

Synonyms

assemble hastily
put together quickly
whip up
throw together
rig up
patch together
piece together
jury-rig

Antonyms

disassemble
dismantle
take apart
deconstruct
carefully construct
plan meticulously
build methodically