confection

American  

[kuhn-fek-shuhn] / kənˈfɛk ʃən /

noun

• confections
  plural

1. a sweet preparation of fruit or the like, as a preserve or candy.

2. the process of compounding, preparing, or making something.

3. a frivolous, amusing, or contrived play, book, or other artistic or literary work.

4. something made up or confected; a concoction.

   He said the charges were a confection of the local police.

5. something, as a garment or decorative object, that is very delicate, elaborate, or luxurious and usually nonutilitarian.

6. Pharmacology. a medicated preparation made with the aid of sugar, honey, syrup, or the like.

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verb (used with object)

1. Archaic. to prepare as a confection.

confection British  

/ kənˈfɛkʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of compounding or mixing

2. any sweet preparation of fruit, nuts, etc, such as a preserve or a sweet

3. old-fashioned an elaborate article of clothing, esp for women

4. informal anything regarded as overelaborate or frivolous

   the play was merely an ingenious confection

5. a medicinal drug sweetened with sugar, honey, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• confections
  plural

Etymology

Origin of confection

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English confeccioun, from Latin confectiōn- (stem of confectiō ) “preparation, conclusion, completion”; see origin at confect, -ion

Explanation

A confection is a food loaded with sugar. Chocolate layer cake, strawberry lollipops, and vanilla bonbons are all confections. Yum! Do you have a sweet tooth? Then you love confections, which are sweet treats such as cakes and candies and all manner of food that’s full of sugary deliciousness. The candy aisle is loaded with confections. Bakeries sell confections too, like cupcakes. A confection is almost always a delicious dessert. Just make sure you eat your vegetables before you eat any confections!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

confection confections

He meets the younger singer on her turf: The track is a theatrical pop confection with a busy, singsong melody, and Mr. Smith’s ageless cracked moan makes him sound like an approving father figure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

It became a viral sensation, spurring countless inspired products from Crumbl Cookies to Shake Shack desserts as well as major chocolate brands like Lindt and Godiva taking their own stab at the pistachio-filled confection.

From Salon ● May 6, 2026

Anna Wintour, the Global Editorial Director of Vogue magazine, wore a feathery custom Chanel confection to her signature event.

From BBC ● May 4, 2026

Salty snacks and sugar confection are gaining share, with health trends and GLP-1 drugs influencing consumer choices.

From Barron's ● Apr. 10, 2026

Nasreen Baji lifted a yellow confection from the box and took a bite.

From "Amal Unbound" by Aisha Saeed

With T. Bone Burnett holding forth in the producer’s chair yet again, “Long Long Road” matches its predecessor’s penchant for warmhearted storytelling and well-played musical confections.

From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2026

This deeply researched study examines how AI systems create “abstract people”: statistical confections, subject profiles and anthropomorphic personages that increasingly substitute for humans in digital environments.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025

“Sèvres Extraordinaire!” approaches its subject—pioneering, astonishing ceramic confections that are neither purely functional nor purely decorative but sui generis art, or “sculpture”—in the broadest sense.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2025

The aroma of their cookie-like confections draws you in and pulls you right through the door.

From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2024

In the autumn of 1971 a man used to come to our house, bearing confections in his pocket and hopes of ascertaining the life or death of his family.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Related Words

• cake
• candy
• pastry