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Synonyms

potboiler

American  
[pot-boi-ler] / ˈpɒtˌbɔɪ lər /

noun

  1. a mediocre work of literature or art produced merely for financial gain.


potboiler British  
/ ˈpɒtˌbɔɪlə /

noun

  1. informal a literary or artistic work of little merit produced quickly in order to make money

"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 potboiler

First recorded in 1860–65; pot 1 + boiler


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.

See Examples For:

Bradford’s potboiler hit in time to meet the “greed is good” ’80s, a decade when the wealth divide increased sharply and economic survival felt only slightly less Darwinian than it does today.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

And there's a cheeky riposte to their critics on the jazzy potboiler They Don't Know 'Bout Us: "You say we changed? We feel the same."

From BBC ● Mar. 20, 2026

William Golding wrote his tale partially in response to “The Coral Island,” a Victorian-era potboiler about three boys who survive a shipwreck thanks to their bluff resourcefulness.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026

In that potboiler, a film he later disavowed as too tame, he was publicized as the first Black matinee idol for mainstream audiences.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 25, 2023

And he can mysteriously put himself even into a potboiler.

From The Author's Craft by Arnold Bennett

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