smorgasbord
noun
smor·gas·bord ˈsmȯr-gəs-ˌbȯrd 
1
: a luncheon or supper buffet offering a variety of foods and dishes (such as hors d'oeuvres, hot and cold meats, smoked and pickled fish, cheeses, salads, and relishes)
2
: an often large heterogeneous mixture : mélange
Did you know?
Although smorgasbord might make us think of a variety of foods, the Swedish word smörgås refers to a particular food item—an open sandwich or, alternatively, a slice of bread covered with butter—which is a staple of the traditional Swedish smorgasbord. (The word smör means "butter," and gås can mean "a lump of butter" as well as "goose.") Smörgås teamed up with the Swedish word bord, meaning "table" or "board," to form smorgasbord; the word first appeared in English in the later part of the 19th century. By the mid-20th century smorgasbord was being used outside of food-related contexts to refer to something that comprises a mixture or assemblage of different parts.
Synonyms
- agglomerate
- agglomeration
- alphabet soup
- assortment
- botch
- clutter
- collage
- crazy quilt
- farrago
- gallimaufry
- grab bag
- gumbo
- hash
- hodgepodge
- hotchpotch
- jambalaya
- jumble
- jungle
- litter
- macédoine
- medley
- mélange
- menagerie
- miscellanea
- miscellany
- mishmash
- mixed bag
- montage
- motley
- muddle
- olio
- olla podrida
- omnium-gatherum
- pastiche
- patchwork
- patchwork quilt
- potpourri
- ragbag
- ragout
- rummage
- salad
- salmagundi
- scramble
- shuffle
- stew
- tumble
- variety
- welter
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
every day the director has to first deal with a smorgasbord of problems before he can begin filming
Recent Examples on the Web Every summer, locals unbuckle their belts for a smorgasbord of dine-out promotions, tantalizing with months of slick deals at high-end and lower-end restaurants. 
Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 2 Sep. 2022 Add that to the smorgasbord of big numbers attached to Watson. Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, 20 Aug. 2022 Summer 2022 brought a veritable smorgasbord of scintillating romance choices, from unique historicals to engrossing contemporary rom-coms. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 30 Aug. 2022 The convention will offer fans a smorgasbord of activities and discussions worthy of the King of Westeros — or the Queen in the North. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 Aug. 2022 Over the years, the summer menu has expanded — from two new plays to four to the current six — a smorgasbord that over as little as two days compels you to dash from one playhouse to another on the campus of Shepherd University, the festival’s home. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 15 July 2022 At the epicenter of this environmental smorgasbord is Bend, a haven for outdoors enthusiasts and food lovers alike—and home to plenty of chargers. Sunset Magazine, 16 May 2022 This year’s recommendations include a rich smorgasbord of fiction and nonfiction from novels and biographies to history and, of course, economics and business books. Preeti Singh, WSJ, 1 July 2022 The items might descend from a smorgasbord of seasons, but their reimagining gifts them a contemporary edge. Katie Baron, Forbes, 27 June 2022 See More
Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 2 Sep. 2022 Add that to the smorgasbord of big numbers attached to Watson. Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, 20 Aug. 2022 Summer 2022 brought a veritable smorgasbord of scintillating romance choices, from unique historicals to engrossing contemporary rom-coms. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 30 Aug. 2022 The convention will offer fans a smorgasbord of activities and discussions worthy of the King of Westeros — or the Queen in the North. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 Aug. 2022 Over the years, the summer menu has expanded — from two new plays to four to the current six — a smorgasbord that over as little as two days compels you to dash from one playhouse to another on the campus of Shepherd University, the festival’s home. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 15 July 2022 At the epicenter of this environmental smorgasbord is Bend, a haven for outdoors enthusiasts and food lovers alike—and home to plenty of chargers. Sunset Magazine, 16 May 2022 This year’s recommendations include a rich smorgasbord of fiction and nonfiction from novels and biographies to history and, of course, economics and business books. Preeti Singh, WSJ, 1 July 2022 The items might descend from a smorgasbord of seasons, but their reimagining gifts them a contemporary edge. Katie Baron, Forbes, 27 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Swedish smörgåsbord, from smörgås open sandwich + bord table
First Known Use
1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1
smorgasbords
noun
as in assortments
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things every day the director has to first deal with a smorgasbord of problems before he can begin filming Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- assortments
- varieties
- medleys
- jumbles
- collages
- mélanges
- hodgepodges
- salads
- ragouts
- miscellanea
- menageries
- litters
- amalgams
- blends
- mishmashes
- montages
- miscellanies
- patchworks
- agglomerations
- potpourris
- jambalayas
- gumbos
- stews
- jungles
- pastiches
- shuffles
- combinations
- grab bags
- hashes
- scrambles
- clutters
- ragbags
- mixed bags
- motleys
- rummages
- accumulations
- agglomerates
- olios
- patchwork quilts
- crazy quilts
- hotchpotches
- farragoes
- notions
- botches
- tangles
- conglomerations
- conglomerates
- welters
- aggregations
- detritus
- gallimaufries
- sundries
- muddles
- aggregates
- tumbles
- macédoines
- alphabet soups
- salmagundis
- omnium-gatherums
- fusions
- composites
- compounds
- ollas podridas
- olla podridas
- catchalls
- messes
- oddments
- alloys
- disorders
- imbroglios
- admixtures
- disarrays
- intermixtures
- snarls
- morasses
- shambles
- disarrangements
- chaoses
- commixtures
- confusions
- odds and ends
- bollixes
- mix-ups
- dog's breakfasts
- knots
