concoction
Americannoun
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concoctions
plural
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the act or process of concocting.
-
something concocted.
a delicious concoction of beans, rice, and meat.
noun
-
the act or process of concocting
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something concocted
-
an untruth; lie
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of concoction
1525–35; < Latin concoctiōn- (stem of concoctiō ) digestion, equivalent to concoct ( us ) ( see concoct) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A concoction is a curious mixture of things, like a bunch of liquids stirred in a cup, or the elaborate and unbelievable story you make up to explain not finishing your homework. Mix eight different liquids in a glass and you've got a concoction. Scientists create concoctions of chemicals in test tubes, and a bicycle made of junkyard scraps is a concoction too. The word’s Latin root means “cooked together,” referring to when you heat metals in order to purify them. A concoction is also a tall tale told to get out of trouble or entertain someone. If your story has ostriches, trampolines, lasers, and Abraham Lincoln, it’s probably a concoction.
Vocabulary lists containing concoction
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 3
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The Hate U Give
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A plump shrimp concoction that reminds me of a lobster roll.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
"Vooaaria!" the bird croaked, a concoction of sounds that resembled a drunken old man.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
“Snow fungus focuses on deep hydration and skin plumping, while red dates support circulation and a healthy glow,” Xie said, calling the concoction “a warm bowl of snow fungus and red date soup.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2026
We are always more afraid of something if it sounds like an artificial concoction rather than a natural product, even though asp venom and great white sharks are perfectly natural.
From Slate ● Mar. 5, 2026
Of late, sensible of disease and impending battle, Dr. Trefusis hath convinced Bono to aid him in the concoction of final words.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Did any of these herbal concoctions actually cool my body temperature?
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Fiber-drink concoctions of years past were lumpy or chalky and generally tasted awful, even if they managed to deliver more fiber itself.
From MarketWatch ● May 10, 2026
On eBay, the EUV machines that fit in a box have sold for $600, and the company’s full collection of Lego concoctions is listed for $4,500.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026
She can be seen in the film with spending time with her pet hawk and picking herbs for medical concoctions.
From BBC ● Jan. 1, 2026
Realizing that this was one of those Smokey concoctions that burned your tongue, she sipped carefully.
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
