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
Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Nov. 2025
Infused with a cocktail of shea butter and both jojoba and marula oil, the pigment goes on with smooth precision.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Nov. 2025
Kings Island to offer special menu items Holiday favorites like hot chocolate, warm cider, specialty cocktails and seasonal nonalcoholic beverages will be available throughout the park.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 Nov. 2025
Old Overholt was a bottom-shelf bottle for decades, although bartenders and enthusiasts appreciated just how good this young and low-proof whiskey was, especially to use in cocktails.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 16 Nov. 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
In addition, Maker's Mark will be featured in holiday cocktails at participating restaurants for Aglow with a portion of the proceeds going to Gilda's Club Kentuckiana.
—Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Nov. 2025
Infused with a cocktail of shea butter and both jojoba and marula oil, the pigment goes on with smooth precision.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Nov. 2025
Kings Island to offer special menu items Holiday favorites like hot chocolate, warm cider, specialty cocktails and seasonal nonalcoholic beverages will be available throughout the park.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 Nov. 2025
Old Overholt was a bottom-shelf bottle for decades, although bartenders and enthusiasts appreciated just how good this young and low-proof whiskey was, especially to use in cocktails.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 16 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cocktail
Cite this Entry
“Cocktail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cocktail. Accessed 21 Nov. 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