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
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Mar. 2026
Minter said the food and beverage menus will feature a hybrid of American and British fare, with additional European options on the beverage and cocktail side.
—Neil Strebig, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 6 Mar. 2026
Accordingly, the new vaccine contains a cocktail of substances intended to stimulate several aspects of the immune system.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 6 Mar. 2026
In 1918, then-owner Philip Guichet invented the Grasshopper cocktail, incorporating white and green crème de menthe, white and dark crème de cacao, heavy whipping cream and brandy.
—Stephanie Gallman Jordan, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
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 just-over-a-year-old property is a go-to for locals enjoying business lunches, sunset cocktails, and meetings in the airy living-room-esque lobby, as well as for out-of-towners looking for an upscale property with easy access to both Westside’s urban offerings and the beach.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Mar. 2026
Minter said the food and beverage menus will feature a hybrid of American and British fare, with additional European options on the beverage and cocktail side.
—Neil Strebig, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 6 Mar. 2026
Accordingly, the new vaccine contains a cocktail of substances intended to stimulate several aspects of the immune system.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 6 Mar. 2026
In 1918, then-owner Philip Guichet invented the Grasshopper cocktail, incorporating white and green crème de menthe, white and dark crème de cacao, heavy whipping cream and brandy.
—Stephanie Gallman Jordan, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 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 8 Mar. 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
