A sucker born every minute
Meaning
This cynical saying suggests that gullible people are constantly appearing, making it easy for others to exploit them.
Origin
The phrase "A sucker born every minute" is famously attributed to the legendary showman P.T. Barnum, though definitive proof remains elusive. Popular lore suggests Barnum uttered these words, perhaps to one of his business partners, as a cynical acknowledgment of the endless stream of credulous patrons eager to believe in his outlandish hoaxes and spectacles. Whether it was Barnum himself or another shrewd observer of human nature, the saying perfectly encapsulates the spirit of 19th-century American enterprise, where grand illusions and clever marketing often overshadowed genuine merit, proving that a ready audience for a good deception was never far off.
Examples
- The new online scam promised instant riches, but as the old saying goes, a sucker born every minute.
- He always falls for those pyramid schemes; it just proves that a sucker born every minute.