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
The poll should be taken with a grain of salt, as Harris was not expected to be competitive in the Hawkeye State.
—Justin Green, Axios, 2 Nov. 2024
Congratulations may contain a hint of envy, so take them with a grain of salt.
—Essence, 1 Nov. 2024
As always, however, results must be taken with a grain of salt.
—Nick Leighton, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
To state the obvious: Survey responses are not votes, and all polls should be taken with a grain of salt, aka a margin of error.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grain of salt 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Justin Green, Axios, 2 Nov. 2024
Congratulations may contain a hint of envy, so take them with a grain of salt.
—Essence, 1 Nov. 2024
As always, however, results must be taken with a grain of salt.
—Nick Leighton, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
To state the obvious: Survey responses are not votes, and all polls should be taken with a grain of salt, aka a margin of error.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grain of salt
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 17 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share