false prophet
Fraudulent religious guide
A false prophet is someone who claims divine authority or special knowledge of the future but whose predictions prove wrong or whose teachings lead people astray.
The term originates in religious contexts—biblical warnings against those who speak falsely in God's name—but extends to anyone whose confident predictions or promises deceive followers: He turned out to be just another false prophet peddling miracle cures.
The phrase implies not just error but deception, whether deliberate or self-deluded.
- deceiverOne who tricks others
- impostorOne feigning another's identity
- wolf in sheep's clothingConcealed threat appearing innocent
- forked tongueSymbol of dishonest speech
- antichristEnemy of the faith
charlatan · fraudster · heresy · swindler · leading astray · cult leader · demagogue · apostasy · con artist · blasphemy · mountebank · pretender · Rasputin · fanaticism · Jim Jones · prophecy · second coming · delusion
- deceiversliar, liars, deceiver, fraud, fake
- plot twistsplot twist, twist ending, surprise ending, unexpected turn, final reveal
- Untrustworthy Thingsbroken promise, fair-weather friend, snake in the grass, wolf in sheep's clothing, two-faced
- apocalypseapocalypse, Armageddon, end times, rapture, tribulation
- Demonsdemons, demon, devils, devil, fiends
- End Timesapocalypse, Armageddon, rapture, end times, tribulation
false prophetoracle
Authoritative wisdom source
man of God · anointed one · major prophet · Elijah · Isaiah