with a grain of salt
Not entirely believing
With a grain of salt describes how to receive a claim—skeptically, without fully believing it.
The expression suggests that questionable information goes down easier with a bit of salt, like unpalatable food: Take his promises with a grain of salt.
Also *with a pinch of salt*, especially in British English.
- face valuePrinted denomination shown
- skepticallyWith doubt or distrust
- doubtfullyIn an unconvinced way
- raised eyebrowFacial expression of skepticism
- quizzicallyWith puzzled expression
too good to be true · suspiciously · buyer beware · reservation · prima facie · askance · cynically · trust but verify · read between the lines · unreliable narrator · caveat · context · fact check · incredulously · perspective · critical thinking · misinterpretation · exaggeration
with a grain of saltwholeheartedly
With total commitment
without question · hook line and sinker · without reservation · unconditionally · unquestioningly
with a grain of saltuncritically
Without analysis or judgment
gullibly · unthinkingly · unreflectively · automatically · reflexively
with a grain of saltwithout reservation
definitively · dogmatically · unquestionably · with confidence
with, grain, grains, grained, grainy, graininess, salt, salted, salting