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charlatanism

charlatanism

1 9.9
Dishonest behaviour where someone pretends to have skill or knowledge
  • noun
  • /ˈʃɑːrləˌtænɪzəm/
  • Formal
translation icon : charlatanería
  • Indeed, the Hippocratic physician shunned claims of supernatural powers in order to avoid the taint of charlatanism.
  • sorcery and charlatanism

From an outsider's perspective, what I often see is kind of maybe hype and a little bit, if I may say so, like charlatanism.

Examples

  • That's what politics is all about: fraud, deceit, charlatanism.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • But this case was more than an instance of science and justice triumphing over charlatanism; it was something more like the passing of an age.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Inevitably, such claims drew accusations of charlatanism and fraud, but some scholars took her ideas seriously.

    Blog text (27)
  • Academic geneticists could not hope to provide such simple and immediately tangible results, and so were seen as politically less useful than the charlatanism of Lysenko.

    Blog text (1)
  • The idea that we can substitute pedagogical training for mastery of actual subject matter, or that filmstrips, radio, television, movies, or computers, or whatever whiz-bang technology comes next can be substituted for actual intellectual engagement between a teacher-master and a student is nothing but charlatanism.

    Blog text (6)
  • What renders all this more pernicious is that once these people (who never had much intelligence in the first place) have been brainwashed by these mountebanks, nothing, not even the most rigorous efforts of modern medicine, can dissuade them from their belief in this charlatanism which they try to pass on to succeeding generations.

    Blog text (7)
  • The seminar on alternative medicine was riddled with charlatanism, as many claims lacked scientific backing.

  • His book was criticized for promoting charlatanism instead of genuine scientific research.

  • Many residents were wary of the new healer, suspecting her practices involved charlatanism rather than real healing.

Synonyms

deception
vscharlatanism
163 3.9

An action that makes someone believe something not true

is about false claims of knowledge or skill not any falsehood
charade
vscharlatanism
76 7.4

A false show that hides what is really happening

is ongoing dishonest pretence of claimed knowledge rather than single acts
trickery
vscharlatanism
27 4.9

To use dishonest ways to cheat people

is about pretending expertise rather than employing trick methods to cheat
chicanery
vscharlatanism
  • Formal
8 9.3

Tricks people use to deceive others to get money or advantage

is broader and covers dishonest skilled pretence beyond legal or financial schemes
disingenuousness
vscharlatanism
3 8.8

A way of hiding the truth by pretending to be less involved

is about pretending greater knowledge or skill rather than claiming ignorance
humbuggery
vscharlatanism
  • Archaic
1 9.7

Dishonest words or actions that try to trick people

is specifically about dishonest pretence of expertise or claimed skills
deceptiveness
vscharlatanism
1 7.2

A quality that makes something seem true when it is false

is about repeated dishonest pretence of claimed skill rather than mere tendency
charlatanry
vscharlatanism
  • Formal
9.9

Dishonest behavior where someone pretends to have skills or knowledge they do not have

is the same meaning but an alternative word form

Antonyms

365 1.0

Being truthful and fair in what you say and do

How Deceptive

fraud
577 4.0
scam
  • NSFW
294 3.0
charlatanism
  • Formal
1 9.9
trickery
27 4.9
deception
163 3.9

Surface Forms

charlatanism singular
charlatanisms plural

Morphology

charlatanism = charlatan (transparent) = charlatan + ism

The noun is formed by adding the productive suffix '-ism' to 'charlatan', denoting the practices or ideology associated with a charlatan, which is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word charlatanism comes from the Italian ciarlatano, from ciarlare meaning 'to chatter', which is like the English word chatter; a charlatan was someone who talked a lot to sell fake cures and trick people. So charlatanism, with -ism meaning 'practice', is the practice of using showy talk and lies to pretend to have real knowledge.