spin doctor

American  

noun

1. Slang. a press agent skilled at spin control.

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spin doctor British  

noun

1. informal a person who provides a favourable slant to an item of news, potentially unpopular policy, etc, esp on behalf of a political personality or party

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spin doctor Idioms  

1. An individual charged with getting others to interpret a statement or event from a particular viewpoint, as in Charlie is the governor's spin doctor. This term, born about 1980 along with spin control, uses doctor in the colloquial sense of “one who repairs something.”

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Etymology

Origin of spin doctor

First recorded in 1985–1990

Example Sentences

The archetypal spin doctor, his reputation as a behind-the scenes fixer, schemer and schmoozer earned him the nickname, "the Prince of Darkness".

From BBC

As Lucy, she is refreshingly droll, hitting the film’s comedic beats with a softer touch that lends itself to her character’s tendency to play the spin doctor.

From Salon

Fixing, schmoozing and scheming behind the scenes, the spin doctor who seemed to revel in his nickname the "Prince of Darkness".

From BBC

Years ago, a spin doctor at a Welsh Labour conference told me how party members were going to help write policies.

From BBC

Overcoming public resistance might be required first, so Camilla confers with a spin doctor, while divorce lawyers and a prime minister endeavor to end the very public “War of the Waleses.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• publicist