Word
charlatan
Phoneticschar·la·tan, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈʃɑɹɫətən/
UK/ʃˈɑːlətən/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person who pretends to have special skills or knowledge in order to trick people, usually for money. You use it for a fake expert who lies about what he or she can do.
n. a person who falsely claims expert knowledge or skill in order to deceive others, typically for financial gain. Often applied to fraudulent practitioners in medicine, finance, or spiritual matters.
Examples
“People soon see him as a charlatan, not a doctor.”
“The clinic hired the charlatan after he promised miracle cures without any medical training.”
“Behind the polished lectures and bestselling remedies stood a practiced charlatan whose credentials dissolved under the slightest scrutiny from genuine scholars.”
Examples
simple
“People soon see him as a charlatan, not a doctor.”
contextual
“The clinic hired the charlatan after he promised miracle cures without any medical training.”
complex
“Behind the polished lectures and bestselling remedies stood a practiced charlatan whose credentials dissolved under the slightest scrutiny from genuine scholars.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “charlatan” in context.
Verb
01. brand as charlatan
“The press branded him as a charlatan after the fake trial results emerged.”
verb + prep + noun
02. charlatan claims
“The charlatan claims he can cure chronic illness in a single session.”
noun + verb
03. charlatan deceives
“The charlatan deceived hundreds of elderly patients with fake remedies.”
noun + verb
04. charlatan poses as
“The charlatan poses as a qualified doctor to gain patients' trust.”
noun + verb + prep
05. charlatan preys on
“The charlatan preys on desperate families seeking alternative treatments.”
noun + verb + prep
06. charlatan promises
“The charlatan promised instant wealth to anyone who bought his course.”
noun + verb
07. denounce charlatan
“Leading scientists publicly denounced the charlatan on television.”
verb + noun
Adjective
08. complete charlatan
“The so-called investment guru turned out to be a complete charlatan.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. accusation against charlatan
“The main accusation against the charlatan involved fraud and fake diplomas.”
noun + prep + noun
10. breed of charlatan
“Social media has created a new breed of charlatan selling wellness myths.”
noun + prep + noun
11. a complete and utter charlatan
“The court found the faith healer was a complete and utter charlatan.”
12. brand him as a charlatan
“Newspapers branded him as a charlatan profiting from vulnerable patients.”
Etymology
From Middle French charlatan, from Old Italian ciarlatano (“quack”), a blend of ciarlatore (“chatterer”) + cerretano (“hawker, quack”, literally “native of Cerreto”) (Cerreto di Spoleto being a village in Umbria, known for its quacks).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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