secret sauce
Americannoun
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.
Experts say Taco Bell’s secret sauce isn’t just one flavor — the brand has achieved cultural relevance, menu innovation and compelling value that keep customers coming back.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
In the 2000s, derivatives created from subprime mortgages were accorded top credit ratings; now, the so-called illiquidity premium on portfolios of loans to small and midsize private companies is considered their secret sauce.
From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 2026
"The major differentiator was starting with a clean sheet of paper. That was the secret sauce," explains Mr Hogan.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2026
Your secret sauce involved a plate full of fish.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 19, 2026
The secret sauce to making chips is the process and the people, not the buildings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 8, 2026
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.
