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

No magic bullet can solve this vast political and economic conundrum. —Nicholas Shaxson, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2018

Citizens, investors, and policymakers should let go of the idea that there is some magic bullet that could quickly kill off Europe's ailments. —R. Daniel Kelemen, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2012

To be sure, there is no magic bullet to counter Iranian expansionism in the region that dates back to 1979. —Bilal Y. Saab, Foreign Affairs, 12 May 2015

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

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

magic bullet

noun

mag·​ic bul·​let ˈmaj-ik-ˈbu̇l-ət 

: 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