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
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
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Two cocktail bars in Miami were named among the best bars in North America, one a veteran of the annual awards and the other a newcomer to the list.
—Connie Ogle
april 23, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
For example, a 57 gram caviar service (served with chips, crème fraîche and chives) and shrimp cocktail from Santa Monica Seafood.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
In-house guest experiences include pasta and pizza-making classes with the chef, cocktail classes with the resident mixologist in the Bertelli Bar, pilates, and yoga sessions.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cocktail
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Noun
The Timberwolves lobbed verbal molotov cocktails at the Nuggets.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Two cocktail bars in Miami were named among the best bars in North America, one a veteran of the annual awards and the other a newcomer to the list.
—Connie Ogle
april 23, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
For example, a 57 gram caviar service (served with chips, crème fraîche and chives) and shrimp cocktail from Santa Monica Seafood.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
In-house guest experiences include pasta and pizza-making classes with the chef, cocktail classes with the resident mixologist in the Bertelli Bar, pilates, and yoga sessions.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cocktail
Cite this Entry
“Cocktail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cocktail. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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
