fool's gold
Shiny worthless ore
Fool's gold is iron pyrite, a mineral that resembles gold in color and metallic luster but has no real value.
The name captures the disappointment of prospectors who mistook it for the real thing.
By extension, fool's gold is anything that appears valuable but proves worthless: The investment turned out to be fool's gold.
Brass-yellow iron sulfide
- crystalsSolids with ordered structure
- metallic lusterReflective surface of metals
- brassyBold and tastelessly loud
- yellowHue between green and orange
cubic · isometric · streak · hardness · geology · mineralogy · ore · marcasite
Deliberate deception for effect
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- shamFraudulent imitation
- counterfeitFraudulent imitation
fake · illusion · trickery · scam · charlatan · quackery · misrepresentation · chicanery
Easily deceived
- credulousProne to blind trust
- trustingInclined to believe others
- inexperiencedLacking practical knowledge
- unwaryWithout due caution
naive · guileless · foolhardy · optimistic · tenderfoot · greenhorn · sucker · mark
Failure to satisfy expectations
- anticlimaxDisappointing conclusion after buildup
- disillusionmentBitter loss of faith
- chagrinDistress from wounded pride
- deflationSustained decrease in prices
dashed hopes · regret · dismay · frustration · setback · failure · heartbreak · misfortune
Unauthorized replica product
- replicaFaithful scaled reproduction
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
- ersatzArtificial and inferior substitute
- simulacrumImitative stand-in for reality
pseudo · facsimile · lookalike · substitute · synthetic · artificial · mere appearance · veneer
pyrite
Brass-yellow iron sulfide
- crystalsSolids with ordered structure
- metallic lusterReflective surface of metals
- brassyBold and tastelessly loud
yellow · cubic · isometric · streak · hardness · geology · mineralogy · ore · marcasite · sulfur
hoax
Deliberate deception for effect
counterfeit · fake · illusion · trickery · scam · charlatan · quackery · misrepresentation · chicanery · duplicity
gullible
Easily deceived
- credulousProne to blind trust
- trustingInclined to believe others
- inexperiencedLacking practical knowledge
unwary · naive · guileless · foolhardy · optimistic · tenderfoot · greenhorn · sucker · mark · dupe
letdown
Failure to satisfy expectations
- anticlimaxDisappointing conclusion after buildup
- disillusionmentBitter loss of faith
- chagrinDistress from wounded pride
dashed hopes · deflation · regret · dismay · frustration · setback · failure · heartbreak · misfortune · worthless
knockoff
Unauthorized replica product
- replicaFaithful scaled reproduction
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
- ersatzArtificial and inferior substitute
simulacrum · pseudo · facsimile · lookalike · substitute · synthetic · artificial · mere appearance · veneer · superficial
- fool's ___
- fakesfake, fakes, counterfeit, counterfeits, imitation
- faux materialsfaux leather, faux fur, faux marble, faux wood, faux stone
- Untrustworthy Thingsbroken promise, fair-weather friend, snake in the grass, wolf in sheep's clothing, two-faced
- worthless thingsnot worth a dime, not worth a hill of beans, dime a dozen, two-bit, good for nothing
- gold miningpan, panning, nuggets, sluice box, prospector
fool's goldpure gold
Unadulterated precious metal
the real thing · solid gold · authentic · bona fide · legitimate
fool's goldsure thing
Guaranteed outcome or agreement
safe bet · truth in advertising · transparent · sure bet · straightforward