dubious story; questionable information
Refers to a story or piece of information that seems unreliable or likely exaggerated. Often used in the phrase 眉唾物 (まゆつばもの) meaning 'something to take with a grain of salt'.
See also: 眉唾物
His story sounds pretty dubious.
taking care not to be fooled
Describes an attitude of skepticism or caution against being deceived. Less common as a standalone noun; often seen in expressions like 眉唾で聞く (listen with skepticism).
I always listen to what he says with a grain of salt.
ネットの情報には眉唾なものも多い。
There's a lot of questionable information on the internet.
dubious story; cock-and-bull story; questionable information
Standard kanji spelling for this word.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less common but still used.
Literally 'eyebrow saliva'. The expression comes from the idea of moistening one's eyebrow with saliva to avoid being deceived by a fox or tanuki, which were thought to be able to count a person's eyebrow hairs and thus reveal their true form. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the phrase is conventionally associated with skepticism.