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

See Examples For:

with a grain of salt

So although it’s always worth taking them with a grain of salt, last night’s bigger loser was betting markets, whose predictive power in Wisconsin was effectively zero.

From Slate ● Aug. 12, 2026

"People using a photo-based tracking app without adjusting the portions or entering the amounts of food should take the results with a grain of salt," said Hengist.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

So, take his schedule with a grain of salt.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

It’s also wise to take coworkers’ investing stories with a grain of salt, said Mark La Spisa, a CFP based in Barrington, Ill. “I always warn people about relying on others’ reported returns,” he says.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 20, 2026

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