magic bullet

noun

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of magic bullet

1 : a substance or therapy capable of destroying pathogens (such as bacteria or cancer cells) or providing an effective remedy for a disease or condition without deleterious side effects

2 : something providing an effective solution to a difficult or previously unsolvable problem

a magic bullet to stem voter apathy

See magic bullet defined for English-language learners

Examples of magic bullet in a Sentence

There is no magic bullet to fix our educational system.

Recent Examples of magic bullet from the Web

The Walking Dead hasn’t always known the best way to develop either character, but viewing them both through the eyes of Carl proves to be the magic bullet.

— nick statt, The Verge, "The Walking Dead Villain Watch season 8, episode 15: Worth," 9 Apr. 2018
On what women should know about egg freezing. Freezing my eggs was not a magic bullet that made me feel confident and free.

— the cut, The Cut, "The Woman Unsure Frozen Eggs Will Help Her Become a Mom," 22 Mar. 2018
It's put forward as a magic bullet for our anxieties, collective loneliness and seasonal depression.

— daron taylor, courant.com, "Trying to understand 'hygge'," 22 Mar. 2018
There was no magic bullet toward improving the Spurs' defense.

— jeff mcdonald, San Antonio Express-News, "Defense shines as Spurs extend streak," 22 Mar. 2018
At any given time one or more competing diets seize the attention of people across the country looking for the magic bullet, the exact combination of right and wrong foods to help them lose weight, get healthy and live better.

— NBC News, "The pros and cons of America's favorite diet plans," 8 Mar. 2018
This was supposed to be the magic bullet in this election.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "Conor Lamb's Victory Matters, and Paul Ryan Should Be Scared," 14 Mar. 2018
Some promising antibiotics are in development and should be available soon, but none is considered the magic bullet.

— linda marsa, Discover Magazine, "The Clock Is Ticking on Superbugs," 24 Jan. 2018
Remember, there’s no magic bullet for dementia prevention.

— episcopal retirement services, Cincinnati.com, "4 Brain-Enhancing Foods That Could Help Prevent Memory Loss," 11 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'magic bullet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of magic bullet

1940

MAGIC BULLET Defined for English Language Learners

magic bullet

noun

Definition of magic bullet for English Language Learners

: a drug or treatment that cures a disease quickly and easily without producing bad effects
: something that solves a difficult problem easily

Medical Dictionary

magic bullet

noun mag·ic bul·let \ ˈmaj-ik-ˈbu̇l-ət \

medical Definition of magic bullet

: a substance or therapy capable of destroying pathogenic agents (as bacteria or cancer cells) or providing a remedy for a disease or condition without deleterious side effects