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
Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
Mint juleps, punch, and other bourbon cocktails are all classic choices.
—Devra Ferst, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
In a statement released Thursday, DHS said Sarsour is a Jordanian national who was previously convicted in Israel for throwing a Molotov cocktail at the homes of Israeli armed forces and attempting to possess weapons and ammunition.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Irate Miami diners have been sounding off about rising costs — from $20 cocktails to automatic service charges — for quite a while.
—Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cocktail
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Noun
The Hollywood & Dine restaurant will be transformed into Sanji’s Galley during Fan Fest with a One Piece cocktail bar located nearby.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
Mint juleps, punch, and other bourbon cocktails are all classic choices.
—Devra Ferst, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
In a statement released Thursday, DHS said Sarsour is a Jordanian national who was previously convicted in Israel for throwing a Molotov cocktail at the homes of Israeli armed forces and attempting to possess weapons and ammunition.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Irate Miami diners have been sounding off about rising costs — from $20 cocktails to automatic service charges — for quite a while.
—Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 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 4 Apr. 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
