snake oil
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
Then, these same brands dutifully patent an expensive snake oil antidote for poisoning you.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 24, 2024
Two weeks after her burial, Rose’s husband arrived loaded with ingots of gold for the children, two-dollar pieces for the women and snake oil for the men.
From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison
