grain of salt

NOUN

reservation

Synonyms

STRONGEST

doubt restriction skepticism

STRONG

catch circumscription demur hesitancy kicker provision proviso qualification scruple string strings terms

WEAK

fine print

Antonyms

WEAK

openness

NOUN

restriction

Synonyms

STRONGEST

check condition constraint control curb limit regulation restraint rule stipulation stricture

STRONG

bounds brake catch circumscription confinement containment contraction cramp custody demarcation disability glitch hang-up inhibition limitation limits lock qualification reservation stint string

WEAK

ball and chain excess baggage fine print no-no small difficulty stumbling block

Antonyms

STRONGEST

allowance liberation permission

STRONG

advantage freedom help

WEAK

enlargement expansion release

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

So, take his schedule with a grain of salt.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

Some economists and policymakers say they routinely consult consumer surveys even if they take the results with a grain of salt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

One user cautioned to take everything in the series with a large grain of salt.

From Salon • Apr. 12, 2026

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 • Jan. 28, 2026

Over the next eighteen months, this indefatigable machine would produce two thousandths of a gram of plutonium, a quantity about the size of a grain of salt.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

grain of salt

Example Sentences

Related Words