sham
Americannoun
adjective
-
pretended; counterfeit; feigned.
sham attacks; a sham Gothic façade.
- Synonyms:
- mock, make-believe, spurious
- Antonyms:
- genuine
-
designed, made, or used as a sham.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
-
anything that is not what it purports or appears to be
-
something false, fake, or fictitious that purports to be genuine
-
a person who pretends to be something other than he is
adjective
verb
Synonym Usage
See false.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has shammedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have shammedperfect
-
has been shammingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
shammingparticiple
-
have been shammingperfect progressive
-
shamssingular 3rd person
-
are shammingprogressive
-
am shammingprogressive 1st person singular
-
is shammingprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
-
had shammedperfect
-
were shammingprogressive plural
-
was shammingprogressive singular
-
had been shammingperfect progressive
-
shammedsimple
-
shammedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of sham
First recorded in 1670–80; perhaps an alteration of shame ( def. ); origin uncertain
Explanation
A sham is a fake. If you frequently order products advertised on late-night, hour-long television commercials, you’ve probably ended up with at least one item that was a sham. All-purpose, industrial strength stain remover, anyone? Sham can be used to refer to people as well as to things. Remember that doctor from the late-night TV commercial advertising UltraMiracleCure vitamin pills? He’s probably a sham, or a quack. Some sources claim that the word sham originated in the 17th century and was derived from the English word shame, but who knows? Maybe that theory’s a sham too.
Vocabulary lists containing sham
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
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Refugee
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This Week in Words: April 1 - 6, 2018
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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.
Dozens of dogs kept in sham animal shelters and used for online scamming have been rescued by police and animal rights organisations in Uganda following a BBC investigation.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
It included a sham surgery control group, allowing researchers to directly compare outcomes against a placebo procedure.
From Science Daily • May 6, 2026
The FDA has demanded the company run another trial in which some patients would have to undergo sham brain surgery to serve as a control group.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026
In the lawsuit, the arson investigators alleged that they were targeted with sham investigations, passed up for promotions and other opportunities and subjected to excessive criticism and increased workloads.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
Which makes me wonder: maybe this matching business is a sham?
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
