snake oil
Charlatan's miracle cure
Snake oil is a worthless remedy sold with false claims of miraculous healing powers.
The term comes from 19th-century American patent medicines, often peddled by traveling salesmen.
Now it applies broadly to any fraudulent product, scheme, or idea marketed with exaggerated promises: That productivity app is pure snake oil.
A snake oil salesman is someone who knowingly sells such dubious goods.
Faker claiming false expertise
- quackFake healer or fowl noise
- hucksterAggressive, unscrupulous peddler
- mountebankTraveling seller of fake remedies
- con artistProfessional fraud perpetrator
swindler · impostor · scam · hoax · sham · bogus · phony · fake
Fraudulent medical practice
- homeopathyDiluted-substance alternative medicine
- astrologyDivination by celestial positions
- phrenologySkull-bump personality assessment
- numerologyMystical significance of digits
cryptozoology · parapsychology · miracle cure · folk remedy · unproven · debunked · anecdotal · superstition
Supposed universal remedy
- elixirMythical healing draught
- miracle cureInstant, implausible healing solution
- magic bulletIdeal effortless remedy
- wonder drugRemarkably effective new medicine
patent medicine · tonic · remedy · nostrum · balm · salve · liniment · potion
Inactive substitute for medicine
- inertInactive, physically or chemically
- placebo effectHealing through expectation
- psychosomaticMind-induced bodily illness
- nocebo effectNegative outcomes from negative expectations
belief · expectation · mind over matter · wishful thinking · false hope · empty promise
charlatan
Faker claiming false expertise
- quackFake healer or fowl noise
- hucksterAggressive, unscrupulous peddler
- mountebankTraveling seller of fake remedies
con artist · swindler · impostor · scam · hoax · sham · bogus · phony · fake · flimflam
quackery
Fraudulent medical practice
- homeopathyDiluted-substance alternative medicine
- astrologyDivination by celestial positions
- phrenologySkull-bump personality assessment
numerology · cryptozoology · parapsychology · miracle cure · folk remedy · unproven · debunked · anecdotal · superstition · pseudoscientific
cure-all
Supposed universal remedy
- elixirMythical healing draught
- miracle cureInstant, implausible healing solution
- magic bulletIdeal effortless remedy
wonder drug · patent medicine · tonic · remedy · nostrum · balm · salve · liniment · potion · quick fix
sugar pill
Inactive substitute for medicine
- inertInactive, physically or chemically
- placebo effectHealing through expectation
- psychosomaticMind-induced bodily illness
nocebo effect · belief · expectation · mind over matter · wishful thinking · false hope · empty promise
credulous
Prone to blind trust
- naiveInnocently unsuspecting
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
- trustingInclined to believe others
gullible · impressionable · unwary · dupable · easy mark · sucker · rube · pigeon · patsy · taken in
- quack curespatent medicine, patent medicines, elixirs, tonics, laudanum
- con propsfake ID, fake badge, fake passport, counterfeit money, counterfeit bills
- Animal Idiomsblind as a bat, brave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse
- cunningcunning, craftiness, crafty, guile, slyness
- Misconceptionsmisconception, myth, fallacy, false belief, mistaken belief
- Untrustworthy Thingsbroken promise, fair-weather friend, wolf in sheep's clothing, two-faced, false prophet
snake oilpharmaceutical
Manufactured medicinal compound
evidence-based medicine · therapeutic · prescription drug · vaccine · prescription medication
snake oilthe real thing
Authentic original version
straight talk · truth in advertising · genuine article · good faith · no-nonsense
oil, snake, oily, snakes, oiler, oiliness, oilcloth, snakebite, oilcan