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
Audiences take earnest artists seriously and let time and taste catch up to anyone who takes their own importance with a grain of salt.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
However, everyone has been taking it with a grain of salt.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 29 July 2025
In short, any such proclamation should be taken with a humongous grain of salt.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
However, such expert predictions should be taken with a grain of salt, as researchers have consistently been surprised by the rapid pace of AI capability advancement.
—ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for grain of salt
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Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
However, everyone has been taking it with a grain of salt.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 29 July 2025
In short, any such proclamation should be taken with a humongous grain of salt.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
However, such expert predictions should be taken with a grain of salt, as researchers have consistently been surprised by the rapid pace of AI capability advancement.
—ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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 19 Aug. 2025.
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