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nostrum

noun

ˈnä-strəm How to pronounce nostrum (audio)
Definition of nostrumnext
as in panacea
something that cures all ills or problems a quack nostrum for cancer of all types

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nostrum Wolff’s work and influence, alongside a simultaneous rise in the fields of psychology and psychosomatic medicine, helped to disperse those nostrums into the wider culture. — Tom Zeller Jr. july 30, Literary Hub, 30 July 2025 His personal integrity conflicts with liberal nostrums, resulting in Fish and Poinsettia’s bizarre repulsion-attraction rapport. — Armond White, National Review, 25 June 2025 Kennedy has promoted almost useless nostrums against measles, such as Vitamin A, while describing vaccination as a personal choice. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025 Eight years later, Democrats have devolved into nostrums about appealing to the middle class, ditching academic language, and finding a uniting message. — Alexander Nazaryan, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nostrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nostrum
  1. panacea
  2. elixir
  3. remedy
  4. cure
  5. theriac
  6. cure-all
Noun
  • Long Cheng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences also thinks raw data is no panacea.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Orbital data centers may be billed as a panacea for reducing stress on Earth’s resources, but any spaceward shift will not actually address the root of those problems—and will introduce new ones—Boley argues.
    — Arielle Frommer, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of panacea
Noun
  • The gentle, foaming elixir feels soft on skin, rinsing away dirt and makeup while hydrating and coddling with flaxseed oil.
    — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Viral memes and videos are often good for only ephemeral dopamine hits, but leave the elixir to the humor and talent of the Gregory Brothers, a longtime musical quartet.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of elixir
Noun
  • Moving wild horses to the farm prevents them from accessing natural fly remedies on the Outer Banks, which include standing in strong breezes on the beach, rolling in the sand and even wading into the ocean.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Coaches may find out the hard way that the tactical landscape has shifted and that not all problems lead to Guardiola-style remedies.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of remedy
Noun
  • If Bryan truly was ready to be a parent, and to put others above himself, the best way to demonstrate that fact would be to recognize that a cure is a good thing for the world his kid will inherit.
    — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Get to the creepy hospital’s 48th floor, where a laboratory may be able to fashion a cure for this viral outbreak turning people into the walking, running, jumping, chomping dead.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of cure
Noun
  • L’Orvietan and its imitators had their roots in a more antique antidote called theriac.
    — Elizabeth Heath, Discover Magazine, 15 Feb. 2023
  • Zinc lozenges suddenly became the theriac to cure all ills; masks and hand-sanitizer, the ambergris and zedoary to ward off infection.
    — Spencer Strub, The New York Review of Books, 25 Mar. 2020
Definition of theriac
Noun
  • Compression boots are not a cure-all, but for people managing swelling, recovering from workouts or living with lymphedema, consistent use paired with appropriate pressure settings and a broader routine can make the investment worthwhile.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026
  • But the medication isn’t a cure-all for body acceptance—far from it.
    — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of cure-all

Browse Nearby Words

nostalgic
nostrum
nostrums
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Cite this Entry

“Nostrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nostrum. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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