silver bullet

noun

: something that acts as a magical weapon
especially : one that instantly solves a long-standing problem

Examples of silver bullet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web More:Bar closing time changes on the table, but not 'silver bullet,' Metro Council says Reach reporter Eleanor McCrary at EMcCrary@courier-journal.com or on Twitter at @ellie_mccrary. Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 30 Aug. 2023 This round of scat sampling is probably not a silver bullet that will definitively answer the question of whether wolves are returning to the Northeast in a way that requires protection under the Endangered Species Act. Ret Talbot, Discover Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023 Ultimately, Sharma thinks no one technology is going to be a silver bullet for autonomous vehicles. IEEE Spectrum, 23 Aug. 2023 There are no silver bullets and building enough housing is going to take years, if not decades to accomplish. Sofia Jeremias, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Aug. 2023 Many ISVs saw cloud marketplaces as a silver bullet. Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 1 Aug. 2023 While the study illuminated these previously undiscovered risk factors, experts say that stabilizing cholesterol and triglycerides isn’t a silver bullet for the disease. Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 28 July 2023 No silver bullet on the bases Wentz faced trouble early, with a one-out single by Seager and a two-out double by Adolis García putting runners on second and third, though he was spared an early run by Seager’s slow start on the bases. Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press, 31 May 2023 Separating Hype From Value While AI can perform some extraordinary feats, implementing it is not a silver bullet solution. Justin Main, Forbes, 5 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'silver bullet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of silver bullet was in 1806

Dictionary Entries Near silver bullet

Cite this Entry

“Silver bullet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silver%20bullet. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.

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