spin doctor

noun

1. Slang. a press agent skilled at spin control.

spin doctor

noun

1. informal.
   a person who provides a favourable slant to an item of news, potentially unpopular policy, etc, esp on behalf of a political personality or party

Word History and Origins

Origin of spin doctor¹

First recorded in 1985–1990

Word History and Origins

Origin of spin doctor¹

C20: from the spin given to a ball in various sports to make it go in the desired direction

Idioms and Phrases

An individual charged with getting others to interpret a statement or event from a particular viewpoint, as in Charlie is the governor's spin doctor . This term, born about 1980 along with spin control , uses doctor in the colloquial sense of “one who repairs something.”

Example Sentences

For one episode, Gove interviewed Labour spin doctor and former cabinet minister Peter Mandelson.

From BBC

In 1998 New Labour spin doctor Peter Mandelson famously said his party was "intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich as long as they pay their taxes".

From BBC

Years ago, a spin doctor at a Welsh Labour conference told me how party members were going to help write policies.

From BBC

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Alastair Campbell, former Labour spin doctor, were also seen arriving at the church in North London.

From BBC

Overcoming public resistance might be required first, so Camilla confers with a spin doctor, while divorce lawyers and a prime minister endeavor to end the very public “War of the Waleses.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• publicist