grain of salt
noun phrase
variants
or less commonly pinch of salt
: a skeptical attitude
—used in the phrase take (something) with a grain/pinch of salt
I take the guidebooks with a grain of salt, preferring to follow my instincts.—
Daisann McLane
Daisann McLaneThe malleability of memory … is the first reason why autobiographies should be taken with a grain of salt.—Judith Rich Harris
Judith Rich HarrisExamples of grain of salt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Their findings, according to a recent article on Space.com, have yet to be peer-reviewed, so take them with a grain of salt.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 7 Apr. 2024
Take customer reviews with a grain of salt when deciding which appetite suppressant is right for you.
—Weight Loss Advisors, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
And certain suggestions in the paper come with a large grain of salt, including a theory that drugs used to help cancer patients’ bodies destroy tumor cells could also help people with ME/CFS finally beat their infections.
—Isabella Cueto, STAT, 21 Feb. 2024
While the higher the mAh battery specification the better, it should be taken with a grain of salt.
—Ken Colburn, The Arizona Republic, 1 Apr. 2024
But those were exhibitions, not always against the top competition, and worth taking with a grain of salt.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2024
Expanding on his perspective regarding public opinion, O'Neal tells PEOPLE he's learned to take feedback with a grain of salt.
—Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024
While very interesting from a scientific perspective, individual case studies like this must always be taken with a grain of salt, Miller said.
—Mira Cheng, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024
There have been very few reliable polls ahead of the South Carolina primary, so any data should be taken with a grain of salt.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 23 Feb. 2024
Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 7 Apr. 2024
Take customer reviews with a grain of salt when deciding which appetite suppressant is right for you.
—Weight Loss Advisors, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
And certain suggestions in the paper come with a large grain of salt, including a theory that drugs used to help cancer patients’ bodies destroy tumor cells could also help people with ME/CFS finally beat their infections.
—Isabella Cueto, STAT, 21 Feb. 2024
While the higher the mAh battery specification the better, it should be taken with a grain of salt.
—Ken Colburn, The Arizona Republic, 1 Apr. 2024
But those were exhibitions, not always against the top competition, and worth taking with a grain of salt.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2024
Expanding on his perspective regarding public opinion, O'Neal tells PEOPLE he's learned to take feedback with a grain of salt.
—Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024
While very interesting from a scientific perspective, individual case studies like this must always be taken with a grain of salt, Miller said.
—Mira Cheng, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024
There have been very few reliable polls ahead of the South Carolina primary, so any data should be taken with a grain of salt.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 23 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grain of salt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near grain of salt
Cite this Entry
“Grain of salt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grain%20of%20salt. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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