with a grain of salt

Idioms  

1. Also, with a pinch of salt. Skeptically, with reservations. For example, I always take Sandy's stories about illnesses with a grain of salt—she tends to exaggerate. This expression is a translation of the Latin cum grano salis, which Pliny used in describing Pompey's discovery of an antidote for poison (to be taken with a grain of salt). It was soon adopted by English writers.

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Example Sentences

While China hit its growth target last year, it should be taken with "a grain of salt", as other data suggests a weaker economic picture, said Georgetown University policy researcher Ning Leng.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

However, seasonal trends should always be taken with a grain of salt.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 3, 2026

But investors took the data with a grain of salt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025

But as with any purported achievement, it’s worth taking it with a grain of salt.

From Barron's • Oct. 21, 2025

Since Rose-Ivy took everything she heard with a grain of salt, she didn’t think the story about the haint made sense.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney