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

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

From Literature

But users of these chatbots should take all their advice with a grain of salt.

From The Wall Street Journal

Many analysts have learned to take Musk's utterances with a grain of salt after earlier predictions about the nearness of fully autonomous driving didn't come to pass.

From Barron's

“We, in Big Sur, know to plan with a grain of salt,” said Matt Glazer, executive director of Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, located near the northern end of the closure.

From Los Angeles Times

I take that with a grain of salt but, hey, I’m up for anything.

From Los Angeles Times