concoction
Americannoun
-
concoctions
plural
-
the act or process of concocting.
-
something concocted.
a delicious concoction of beans, rice, and meat.
noun
-
the act or process of concocting
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Hate U Give
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
"I'm super-obsessed with ube," university student Kym Trivino told AFP as she sipped an ube-matcha concoction at one of Manila's largest shopping malls.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
Think iced fruity drinks, protein shakes and so-called dirty sodas - a concoction of foam, syrups and juices.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
The new concoction, meant to promote “restoration,” is a collaboration with Jolie — a New York-based beauty wellness company that sells filtered showerheads.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026
They didn’t know their chocolate-hazelnut concoction was aboard Orion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
The yellowed bottoms of the sneakers face the lamp, and a layer of Saran Wrap protects my concoction of detergent and toothpaste that’ll eventually clean them.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
On guitar, Thorn offers a sound that can be as classic as you need it to be while immaculately executing new Whigsian concoctions.
From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026
This doesn’t mean that residents have access to a kind of Megan’s Law list to be able to find out who is brewing what chemistry concoctions in their neighborhoods, though.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 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
Mohwinkel, who heads the cocktail program, preps his concoctions hours before opening.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
The man laughed at Matty’s concoctions and tried to teach him, but Matty was impatient and didn’t care about the subtlety of herbs.
From "Messenger" by Lois Lowry
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.
