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take with a grain of salt

to regard with skepticism

In Idioms & Sayings

In more detail

(idiom) to not completely believe something or to accept it with doubt; to recognize that something may not be entirely true or accurate

Examples

• You should take those rumors with a grain of salt until you hear the official announcement.

How to use take with a grain of salt

This idiom is used when you want to express healthy skepticism toward a claim, story, or piece of information. It suggests accepting something while maintaining doubt about its complete veracity, particularly when the source might be biased, unreliable, or exaggerating. The tone is measured and practical rather than accusatory.

Common phrases

• take something with a grain of salt
• have to take it with a grain of salt
• should be taken with a grain of salt
• worth taking with a grain of salt
• take their claims with a grain of salt

Synonyms

view with skepticism · treat with caution · receive with reservations · have doubts about · question the accuracy of

Opposites

accept at face value · believe implicitly · take for granted

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use "take with salt" (omitting "a grain of") or confuse the idiom's meaning with simply ignoring something entirely, when it actually means cautious partial acceptance rather than complete dismissal.

Nearby in Idioms & Sayings

rain check, read between the lines, ring a bell, the best of both worlds, through thick and thin, time flies

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained