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

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

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

The party's former spin doctor recently attacked the investigation as a "grotesque spectacle".

From BBC

The SNP's former spin doctor has said he is willing to bet that the police investigation into the party's finances will not result in any charges.

From BBC

That, famously, was how Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell intervened to stop his boss, Tony Blair, from answering a journalist's question about religion.

From BBC

Related Words

• publicist