1
a
: a usually iced drink of wine or distilled liquor mixed with flavoring ingredients
b
: something resembling or suggesting such a drink as being a mixture of often diverse elements or ingredients
a cocktail of remembered incidents and pure imagination—
Charlotte Low
Charlotte Lowa cocktail of herbicides
c
: a mixture of agents usually in solution that is taken or used especially for medical treatment or diagnosis
2
: an appetizer served as a first course at a meal
1
: of, relating to, or set aside for cocktails
a cocktail hour
2
: designed for semiformal wear
a cocktail dress
: a horse with its tail docked
Synonyms
Examples of cocktail in a Sentence
Noun (1)
an autopsy found a lethal cocktail of banned substances in the actor's body
Recent Examples on the Web
Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
There will be sidecars on silver trays and classic cocktails, named for luminaries such as Jackie O., crafted behind a mahogany bar.
—Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 8 Jan. 2025
Find low-cost alternatives Instead of pricey dinners and cocktails, consider more affordable options such as coffee dates, casual picnics or exploring free events like museum exhibitions.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
The interactive series pairs cocktails made with spirits distilled by women, small plates prepared by Csoka and a history lesson all in one.
—Samantha Husted, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cocktail 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
The drinks menu features craft cocktails, local wines, and beers.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
There will be sidecars on silver trays and classic cocktails, named for luminaries such as Jackie O., crafted behind a mahogany bar.
—Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 8 Jan. 2025
Find low-cost alternatives Instead of pricey dinners and cocktails, consider more affordable options such as coffee dates, casual picnics or exploring free events like museum exhibitions.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
The interactive series pairs cocktails made with spirits distilled by women, small plates prepared by Csoka and a history lesson all in one.
—Samantha Husted, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cocktail
Articles Related to cocktail
Dictionary Entries Near cocktail
Cite this Entry
“Cocktail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cocktail. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cocktail
noun
cock·tail
ˈkäk-ˌtāl 
: a mixture of agents usually in solution that is taken or used especially for medical treatment or diagnosis
a potent cocktail of antiretroviral drugs—Zia Jaffrey
Zia Jaffreychemotherapy cocktails to treat cancer—J. L. Swerdlow
J. L. SwerdlowLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share