panacea
Solves every problem
A panacea is a cure for all diseases or difficulties—a universal remedy.
The word appears most often in the negative: There's no panacea for poverty.
When someone dismisses a proposed solution as not a panacea, they mean it won't solve everything, though it may help somewhat.
Supposed universal remedy
- elixirMythical healing draught
- nostrumUnproven pet remedy
- antidoteSubstance neutralizing harmful agents
- tonicInvigorating medicinal drink
balm · salve · medicine · restorative · therapeutic · healing · treatment · remedy
Fraudulent cure-all
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- quackFake healer or fowl noise
- mountebankTraveling seller of fake remedies
- hucksterAggressive, unscrupulous peddler
sham · fraud · pseudoscience · placebo · false promise · miracle cure · wonder drug · quick fix
Legendary immortality concoction
- fountain of youthRestorative source of youthfulness
- philosopher's stoneLegendary substance enabling transmutation
- ambrosiaGods' immortality-granting food
- nirvanaRelease from cyclical existence
utopia · alchemy · transmutation · immortality · quintessence · holy grail · soma · nectar
cure-all
Supposed universal remedy
- elixirMythical healing draught
- nostrumUnproven pet remedy
- antidoteSubstance neutralizing harmful agents
tonic · balm · salve · medicine · restorative · therapeutic · healing · treatment · remedy · potion
snake oil
Fraudulent cure-all
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- quackFake healer or fowl noise
- mountebankTraveling seller of fake remedies
huckster · sham · fraud · pseudoscience · placebo · false promise · miracle cure · wonder drug · quick fix · patent medicine
elixir of life
Legendary immortality concoction
- fountain of youthRestorative source of youthfulness
- philosopher's stoneLegendary substance enabling transmutation
- ambrosiaGods' immortality-granting food
nirvana · utopia · alchemy · transmutation · immortality · quintessence · holy grail · soma · nectar · manna
- potionspotion, elixir, brew, draught, tonic
- apothecarypharmacy, apothecary, drugstore, dispensary, pharmacist
- cure-allscure-all, nostrum, snake oil, miracle cure, elixir
- elixirs of lifephilosophers stone, fountain of youth, ambrosia, nectar, aqua vitae
- magical substancesmana, ichor, ambrosia, nectar, ether
- Patent Medicinesnake oil, cure-all, nostrum, elixir, tonic