magic bullet

noun

1
: a substance or therapy capable of destroying pathogens (such as bacteria or cancer cells) or providing an effective remedy for a disease or condition without deleterious side effects
2
: something providing an effective solution to a difficult or previously unsolvable problem
a magic bullet to stem voter apathy

Examples of magic bullet in a Sentence

There is no magic bullet to fix our educational system.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Neighborhood social work is not a magic bullet, but my colleagues and I see it as a promising approach to address the most common challenges that neighborhoods with high rates of homelessness face. Ishita Chordia, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2024 That sort of brings the issue back to the what the crowd of attendees at The Battery Show furiously seek—the magic bullets, the technologies, the innovations that will energize their ability to compete, especially against the blistering speed and growth of their counterparts in China. Ed Garsten, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024 No magic bullet The reality of fentanyl is that neither party has a magic-bullet solution. Laura Strickler, NBC News, 7 Sep. 2024 Shifting more fully to Play Store isn’t a magic bullet, with plenty of examples of malicious apps lurking there as well. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for magic bullet 

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of magic bullet was in 1940

Dictionary Entries Near magic bullet

Cite this Entry

“Magic bullet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magic%20bullet. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

magic bullet

noun
mag·​ic bul·​let ˈmaj-ik-ˈbu̇l-ət How to pronounce magic bullet (audio)
: a substance or therapy capable of destroying pathogenic agents (as bacteria or cancer cells) or providing a remedy for a disease or condition without deleterious side effects

More from Merriam-Webster on magic bullet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!