concoction

noun

con·​coc·​tion kən-ˈkäk-shən 

kän-

plural concoctions

1

: something (such as a food or drink) that is concocted from various elements : something prepared or devised by combining different ingredients

an elaborate concoction

This concoction is a cross between hot chocolate and a grasshopper, a mixed drink that gets its minty kick from crème de menthe.

—Kim Steckler

… the disc offers quite an unusual concoction of old and new songs that are surprisingly cohesive.

—Jon Hetman

2

: the act of process of concocting something

One of these young men had a rare faculty in the concoction of gin-cocktails.

—Nathaniel Hawthorne

Synonyms

• brainchild
• coinage
• contrivance
• creation
• innovation
• invention
• wrinkle

Examples of concoction in a Sentence

the first submarine must have seemed like a wild concoction at the time

Recent Examples on the Web

And don’t neglect Bermuda’s other national drink, the dark ‘n’ stormy; something about this concoction of dark rum, ginger beer, and lime hits different when the weather is, indeed, dark and stormy. —Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2025

This led researchers to theorize that when competition is reduced, venomous predators may actually evolve concoctions better suited to specific prey. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 23 Apr. 2025

Take it from Han, who loves this plumping concoction. —Annie Blackman, Allure, 21 Apr. 2025

The Death of a Unicorn actor, 55, appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers to dabble in some day-drinking with the host, which included trying cocktail concoctions and meeting his doppelgänger, a writer on Meyers' show. —Sharareh Drury, People.com, 2 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for concoction

• decoction
• auction