Teapot Dome

American  

noun

U.S. History.

1. a federal oil reserve in Wyoming, leased to private producer Harry F. Sinclair by Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall in 1922, leading to a major government scandal and the tarnishing of the reputation of President Warren G. Harding's administration (1921–23).

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Example Sentences

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Teapot Dome

The interior department secretary accepted bribes in exchange for awarding oil leases during Warren Harding's presidency in the 1920s, an episode known as the Teapot Dome scandal.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

With no new revelations, a popular syndicated newspaper column raised the inevitable question: “And is that Teapot Dome oil row a tempest in a teapot?”

From Washington Post ● Jan. 9, 2022

Oil magnate Harry Sinclair, who was embroiled in the Teapot Dome bribery scandal, paid just $213.

From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2021

In 1922, the Teapot Dome scandal had its beginnings as Interior Secretary Albert B. Fall signed a secret deal to lease U.S.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 7, 2021

When William broke the Teapot Dome telegrams, McLean worried that his own secrets could be easily read, too.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield