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Showing results for potboiler. Search instead for potboilers.
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

It’s going to lose to the airport novel papal potboiler?

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 27, 2025

I went into the house to fetch the required sum, and, by some means I cannot explain, got to work again upon the latest potboiler.

From Mr. Punch in Bohemia by Various

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