Quackery
/ˈkwækəri/noun
The act of pretending to have medical skills or knowledge, especially by people who are not doctors.
In the old days, towns were often visited by people selling potions and practising quackery.
Often appears as...
- medical quackery
- professional quackery
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
The act of falsely presenting oneself as an expert in a certain field other than medicine, typically for personal gain.
He made a fortune from financial quackery and fraudulent investment schemes.
Often appears as...
- financial quackery
- scientific quackery
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
The act of pretending to have medical skills or knowledge, especially by people who are not doctors.
In the old days, towns were often visited by people selling potions and practising quackery.
Often appears as...
- medical quackery
- professional quackery
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
The act of falsely presenting oneself as an expert in a certain field other than medicine, typically for personal gain.
He made a fortune from financial quackery and fraudulent investment schemes.
Often appears as...
- financial quackery
- scientific quackery
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Medical Dishonesty
Used for dishonest claims about medical knowledge or treatments.
The elixir he sold was pure quackery; it had no healing properties.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
Quackery implies harmful deception that can endanger health.
They exposed the clinic's quackery, saving countless lives.
Pro Tip 3/3Beware of False Cures
Quackery often involves selling fake cures or remedies.
Many terminal patients fall victim to quackery in desperation.
Compare with
cheatdeceitfraudulencehoaximpostureshamswindletrickery
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Quote examples
Dean Ornish
American Educator
I am as non-accepting of medical quackery and unscientific approaches as anybody else. I've grown up as a card-carrying scientist, and I know the power of science to answer questions, and for many questions I don't know of anything better than scientific approaches to answer them.
Quote examples
William Hazlitt
English Critic
There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our friends. It is little better than a piece of quackery. The truth is, we think of them as we please, that is, as they please or displease us.
Quote examples
Timothy Noah
American Journalist
Is New Ageism inherently fascist? Of course not, though I'm happy to pronounce its babble about chakras and cosmic energy errant quackery.
Quote examples
Carl Hart
American Educator
When patients reject official advice and proved medicine, they become more susceptible to quackery.
Quote examples
Dean Ornish
American Educator
I am as non-accepting of medical quackery and unscientific approaches as anybody else. I've grown up as a card-carrying scientist, and I know the power of science to answer questions, and for many questions I don't know of anything better than scientific approaches to answer them.
Quote examples
William Hazlitt
English Critic
There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our friends. It is little better than a piece of quackery. The truth is, we think of them as we please, that is, as they please or displease us.
Quote examples
Timothy Noah
American Journalist
Is New Ageism inherently fascist? Of course not, though I'm happy to pronounce its babble about chakras and cosmic energy errant quackery.
Quote examples
Carl Hart
American Educator
When patients reject official advice and proved medicine, they become more susceptible to quackery.
Example 1 of 4
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