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secret sauce

American

[see-krit saws] / ˈsi krɪt ˈsɔs /

noun

a secret element, strategy, procedure, etc., that accounts for or increases the chances of success.

The app's secret sauce is its simple interface.

Etymology

Origin of secret sauce

From a so-called sauce for hamburgers whose ingredients are a closely held secret

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:

secret sauce

Continental “co-production” is the secret sauce that makes U.S. manufacturing a powerhouse.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

The dollar’s secret sauce is the compounding network effect of a world that prices, borrows, hedges, and settles in one currency.

From Barron's ● May 27, 2026

This must be part of the secret sauce — Wyatt’s dedication and consistency.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026

Your secret sauce involved a plate full of fish.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 19, 2026

Its algorithm is the "secret sauce" that has driven the app's huge popularity.

From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2026

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