mixed bag

American  

noun

Informal.

1. an often unexpected assortment of various things, people, or ideas.

   The concert was a mixed bag of works from three centuries.

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mixed bag British  

noun

1. informal something composed of diverse elements, characteristics, people, etc

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mixed bag Idioms  

1. A heterogeneous collection of people, items, activities, or the like; an assortment. For example, The school offers a mixed bag of after-school activities—team sports, band practice, a language class. This idiom calls up the image of a sack full of different items. [First half of 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of mixed bag

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Now, regarding the supported VPN and encryption protocols, it’s a bit of a mixed bag.

From Salon

My adult physical life has been a mixed bag of hyper-athletic hot yoga, long country runs and hunching over my computer for days on end.

From The Wall Street Journal

As this season plays out with its mixed bag of ballet and theater, audiences can look to further such runs and wish for programming that is more consistently inspired.

From The Wall Street Journal

Analysts expect a mixed bag of results, as consumption and investment remain weak, and the property sector has yet to show meaningful signs of recovery.

From The Wall Street Journal

The couple’s glitzy life in California has left them with bills to pay, and so far the Sussex entrepreneurial efforts have been a mixed bag.

From The Wall Street Journal