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Synonyms

magic bullet

American  

noun

  1. something that cures or remedies without causing harmful side effects.

    So far there is no magic bullet for economic woes.
magic bullet British  

noun

  1. informal any therapeutic agent, esp one in the early stages of development, reputed to be very effective in treating a condition, such as a malignant tumour, by specifically targeting the diseased tissue

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of magic bullet

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“There’s no magic bullet to make up for lost time,” said Rob Williams, managing director and head of wealth-management research at Charles Schwab.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 15, 2025

It's not a magic bullet, because teams who are looking to see out a lead - or hold on to a draw - could still go slowly to break up the momentum of the opposition.

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2025

That would be one heck of a magic bullet to do that.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2025

It’s not a magic bullet, but it can be a lifeline.

From Slate • Aug. 16, 2024

The discovery returned Lawrence to a round-the-clock schedule at the Rad Lab, supervising the bombardment of dozens of elements with his magic bullet.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.