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.
The co-founders of Minicircle claim that they developed their FST-344 treatment in a garage and trialed the concoction on mice first before injecting themselves.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
Hartline, the creator of the show, described the concoction as a mixture of theater, performance arts and character development.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 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
Even those who swear by the broccoli concoction say they can’t be sure that they are benefiting from anything other than a placebo effect.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026
I made a fire, the tree room warmed, and I puttered around with a concoction I call possum sop.
From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
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.
