charlatanry
Fake healer's trade
Charlatanry is the practice or behavior of a charlatan—someone who falsely claims expertise or knowledge, especially to deceive others for profit.
The word emphasizes the act itself rather than the person: The whole enterprise reeked of charlatanry.
It covers quackery, fraudulent claims, and confident displays of nonexistent skill.
Deception through false identity
- duperyCalculated misleading of another
- deceitDeliberate misleading of others
- shamFraudulent imitation
- fakeryDeliberate deception or pretense
guile · subterfuge · manipulation · bamboozle · con · bluff · humbug · chicanery
Dishonest money-making scheme
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- griftSwindle or petty fraud
- buncoDice-based fraud scheme
- fleecingDefrauding for gain
racket · hustle · confidence game · shell game · Ponzi scheme · pyramid scheme · snake oil · mountebank
Bogus methodology posing as factual
- snake oilFraudulent cure-all
- nostrumUnproven pet remedy
- panaceaUniversal cure
- elixirMythical healing draught
miracle cure · patent medicine · folk remedy · placebo · hocus-pocus · mountebank · quacksalver · cure-all
Deceptive act or costume party
- guiseExternal manner shown
- posturingInsincere behavior for effect
- affectationArtificial behavior for effect
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
veneer · posing · feigning · playacting · insincerity · hypocrisy · false front · airs
imposture
Deception through false identity
fakery · guile · subterfuge · manipulation · bamboozle · con · bluff · humbug · chicanery · trickery
scam
Dishonest money-making scheme
fleecing · racket · hustle · confidence game · shell game · Ponzi scheme · pyramid scheme · snake oil · mountebank · impostor
pseudoscience
Bogus methodology posing as factual
elixir · miracle cure · patent medicine · folk remedy · placebo · hocus-pocus · mountebank · quacksalver · cure-all · wonder drug
masquerade
Deceptive act or costume party
- guiseExternal manner shown
- posturingInsincere behavior for effect
- affectationArtificial behavior for effect
facade · veneer · posing · feigning · playacting · insincerity · hypocrisy · false front · airs · simulation
charlatanryintegrity
Moral soundness and consistency
honesty · authenticity · sincerity · probity · forthrightness