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
Kailyn Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Christmas hams, party cocktails, elegant layer cakes, and cookout classics fill the dictionaries of Southern family recipes, but one of my favorites is a simple vinaigrette from my grandmother.
—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
2 July 2026
Head to The Rooftop for craft cocktails and live music with a side of fantastic city views.
—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
2 July 2026
For a fresh summer look, opt for breezy blue satin slip dress for summer cocktails.
—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for cocktail
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Noun
SparkHouse’s cafe and bar is open to the public and sells tea, coffee (try the honey matcha latte), wine, beer cocktails and small bites.
—
Kailyn Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Christmas hams, party cocktails, elegant layer cakes, and cookout classics fill the dictionaries of Southern family recipes, but one of my favorites is a simple vinaigrette from my grandmother.
—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
2 July 2026
Head to The Rooftop for craft cocktails and live music with a side of fantastic city views.
—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
2 July 2026
For a fresh summer look, opt for breezy blue satin slip dress for summer cocktails.
—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
2 July 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 3 Jul. 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
