Teflon

American

[tef-lon] / ˈtɛf lɒn /

Trademark.

a fluorocarbon polymer with slippery, nonsticking properties; polytetrafluoroethylene.

adjective

characterized by imperviousness to blame or criticism.

a Teflon politician.

Teflon British

/ ˈtɛflɒn /

noun

polytetrafluoroethylene, when used in nonstick cooking vessels

"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

adjective

facetious denoting the ability to evade blame

the Teflon president

"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

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.

So you don’t have to worry about getting cancer from your Teflon pan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

The judgment marks a rare legal defeat for Musk, often dubbed "Teflon Elon" for his ability to emerge unscathed from lawsuits he is expected to lose.

From Barron's • Mar. 21, 2026

Chemist Roy Plunkett accidentally created Teflon while experimenting with refrigerant gases.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

Even just speaking up could dent his vaunted Teflon shield.

From Slate • Jan. 20, 2026

Or the reflection from the Teflon cookware display case.

From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway

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