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
José Cantillo Ferrer, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
Bell takes an avid interest in the history of cocktails, taking note of the context for why certain drinks have gone in and out of fashion throughout the decades.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
The protests on Tuesday turned violent when supporters of Berisha’s opposition Democratic Party threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at government offices in Tirana.
—Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Beyond the dance floor, guests played games of mahjong, sang karaoke and feasted on spring rolls, roast duck and other delicacies while sipping Hennessy cocktails inspired by the Year of the Fire Horse.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cocktail
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Noun
Added to this are three restaurants that celebrate local and international flavors, four bars serving creative cocktails, and a spa that takes wellness to new heights.
—José Cantillo Ferrer, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
Bell takes an avid interest in the history of cocktails, taking note of the context for why certain drinks have gone in and out of fashion throughout the decades.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
The protests on Tuesday turned violent when supporters of Berisha’s opposition Democratic Party threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at government offices in Tirana.
—Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Beyond the dance floor, guests played games of mahjong, sang karaoke and feasted on spring rolls, roast duck and other delicacies while sipping Hennessy cocktails inspired by the Year of the Fire Horse.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 13 Feb. 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 16 Feb. 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
