concoction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "concoction" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a mixture of various ingredients or elements, often in a creative or unusual way. Example: "The chef's latest concoction included a blend of exotic spices and fresh herbs that delighted the diners."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I forced down the thick, sickly sweet concoction, glugged the rest of my water and waited for the double caffeine shot to take effect.. As we reached the checkpoint we were treated to a fine view down to the final camp on the shore of the deep-blue waters of Sayram Lake hundreds of metres below, a favourite haunt of Mongol ruler Genghis Khan.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Sgroppino is a grown-up Italian concoction of prosecco, vodka and sorbet, served as a cocktail or dessert.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

8 Women (Francois Ozon, 2002) 10.25pm, Sky Cinema 1 Eight women in a remote country house with a corpse upstairs and a killer on the prowl: Ozon's delicious concoction has a quintessential Agatha Christie-style plot (in fact from Robert Thomas's French play) dressed up in 50s-Hollywood-thriller mode.

The Guardian

Feminism was a movement of profound importance, securing the extension of natural rights to women, but its modern incarnation is a concoction of socialist values.

The Guardian - Opinion

Think seared tuna steak with a zingy horseradish, wasabi and soy concoction, served with mellow sweet potato mash.

The Guardian - Travel

The town's signature brew is a dark, smoky concoction called rauchbier - try it at the Heller brewery with some smoked sausage.

The Guardian - Travel

He recently consulted a Peruvian shaman on the island, who performed a ceremony in which Smyth took ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic concoction believed to clear the mind.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Here are 10 great books with which to start: 1. George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl Some "adults" (to be read in disparaging tones) may question my recommendation of a book that encourages young readers, when left alone with a grumpy, grizzly old grunion of a Grandma, to create a concoction that will "blow the top off her head".

The Guardian

Clearly, this extraordinary, shattering film was too heady a concoction for most awards-givers – even the off-agenda National Society of Film Critics, who bafflingly named Godard's Goodbye to Language as the year's best.

The Guardian - Film

Mr Putin keeps talking about Novorossiya a region that in Tsarist times included Nikolaev and Odessa.Mr Putin's recent public comments confirm that he considers Ukraine to be an artificial and inherently unstable geographic concoction whose future existence within its current borders is uncertain.

The Economist

So the researchers also tested a second concoction chosen to mimic more closely what an average child might reasonably consume every day.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "concoction" when you want to describe a mixture or blend of ingredients that is unusual, creative, or experimental. It often implies a slightly haphazard or inventive process.

Common error

The word "concoction" often carries a sense of novelty or inventiveness. Avoid using it for common mixtures like coffee with milk; instead, opt for more neutral terms like "mixture" or "blend" in such contexts.

Linguistic Context

Concoction primarily functions as a noun, referring to something that has been prepared by mixing several things together. It is often used when the mixture is unusual or experimental, as seen in Ludwig's examples of "sickly sweet concoction" or "hallucinogenic concoction".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Encyclopedias

8%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

3%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the word "concoction" is a grammatically sound and frequently used noun. It describes a mixture, often with an implication of novelty or experimentation. As shown by Ludwig, its use spans a range of contexts but is most prevalent in news and media. While fully acceptable, it is advisable to avoid "concoction" when referring to simple mixtures, for which "mixture" or "blend" may be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mixture

Refers to a combination of different things, often implying a blend of ingredients or elements.

blend

Suggests a smooth combination of different things, often used in the context of flavors or colors.

creation

Emphasizes the act of bringing something new into existence, often implying creativity or ingenuity.

preparation

Focuses on the process of making something, especially food or medicine.

formulation

Implies a precise and deliberate combination of ingredients, often used in scientific or technical contexts.

amalgamation

Suggests the merging of different elements into a unified whole.

composition

Refers to the arrangement of elements that form a whole, often used in art or music.

fabrication

Implies something made up or invented, often with the intention to deceive.

brew

Suggests a mixture that has been steeped or fermented, often used for drinks.

potpourri

A mixture of dried petals and spices placed in a bowl or other container for scent.

FAQs

How to use "concoction" in a sentence?

You can use "concoction" to describe an unusual or experimental mixture. For example, "The chef's latest "concoction" included a blend of exotic spices and fresh herbs."

What can I say instead of "concoction"?

You can use alternatives like "mixture", "blend", or "creation" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use the word "concoction"?

It's appropriate to use the word "concoction" when describing a mixture of ingredients or elements, often implying a creative or unusual combination.

What is the difference between "concoction" and "recipe"?

"Concoction" often implies a more experimental or improvised mixture, while "recipe" suggests a precise and tested set of instructions.