Meaning & use
charlatan
Last updated
A person who falsely claims to have expertise or skill they do not actually possess, in order to deceive others.
See it in a sentence
The self-proclaimed healer turned out to be a charlatan selling fake cures.
Critics dismissed the financial guru as a charlatan preying on nervous investors.
A note on using this word
Charlatan usually implies deception involving claimed expertise, especially in medicine, finance, or academia, rather than general dishonesty.
Words with a similar meaning
fraudimpostor
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