chiefly US, informal + disapproving
: something that is sold as medicine but that is not really useful or helpful in any way
snake oil remedies
—often used figurativelyHe thinks politicians are just a bunch of snake oil salesmen. [=dishonest people]
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“Snake oil.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/snake%20oil. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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