snake oil
Americannoun
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any of various liquid concoctions of questionable medical value sold as an all-purpose curative, especially by traveling hucksters.
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Slang. deceptive talk or actions; hooey; bunkum.
The governor promised to lower taxes, but it was the same old snake oil.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of snake oil
An Americanism dating back to 1925–30
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The flip side is that it’s hard to determine which products and services are likely to pay off medically versus the snake oil.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
The trade would feature prominently in American advertising for decades to come, as did pitches for often-dubious cures known as patent medicine—the proverbial snake oil.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
But even though Goop once sold a $30 gem-infused “psychic vampire repellent” aromatherapy spray, Paltrow’s not a snake oil saleswoman — at least to me.
From Salon • Dec. 22, 2025
On her website, she lists four red flags to watch for on snake oil products: claims with no supporting medical evidence, lack of peer review on scientific data, manipulation of emotions and celebrity endorsements.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 9, 2023
“Why do you keep going to these snake oil salesmen? It’s been years and nothing you’ve done has brought your gift back,” Grandma snaps.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
