concoction
Americannoun
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the act or process of concocting.
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something concocted.
a delicious concoction of beans, rice, and meat.
noun
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the act or process of concocting
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something concocted
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an untruth; lie
Etymology
Origin of concoction
1525–35; < Latin concoctiōn- (stem of concoctiō ) digestion, equivalent to concoct ( us ) ( 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.
They didn’t know their chocolate-hazelnut concoction was aboard Orion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
And then, natch, the judges must sample the concoction.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026
A volatile concoction of fears, relief, optimism and nerves around the issue has made it a roller-coaster week for markets.
From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026
On top of all this, Kincaid appears to have played a role in the concoction of the DOJ letter itself.
From Slate • Nov. 20, 2025
But, that night, in that kitchen, there were people—people who cared about me, people who might have even loved me—squashed around Fang’s table, eating some tasty homebrewed chicken and rice concoction.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
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.
