sham

[sham]

noun

1. something that is not what it purports to be; a spurious imitation; fraud or hoax.

   Synonyms: pretense, pretense

2. a person who shams; shammer.

3. a cover or the like for giving a thing a different outward appearance.

   a pillow sham.

adjective

1. pretended; counterfeit; feigned.

   sham attacks; a sham Gothic façade.

   Synonyms: mock, make-believe, spurious
   Antonyms: genuine

2. designed, made, or used as a sham.

verb (used with object)

shammed, shamming 

1. to produce an imitation of.

   Synonyms: imitate

2. to assume the appearance of; pretend to have.

   to sham illness.

   Synonyms: fake, feign

verb (used without object)

shammed, shamming 

1. to make a false show of something; pretend.

sham

/ ʃæm /

noun

1. anything that is not what it purports or appears to be

2. something false, fake, or fictitious that purports to be genuine

3. a person who pretends to be something other than he is

adjective

1. counterfeit or false; simulated

verb

1. to falsely assume the appearance of (something); counterfeit

   to sham illness

Other Word Forms

• unshammed adjective
• shammer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sham¹

First recorded in 1670–80; perhaps an alteration of shame ( def. ); origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of sham¹

C17: perhaps a Northern English dialect variant of _shame

Synonym Study

See false.

Example Sentences

Human Rights Watch has condemned the vote as a "sham", while Amnesty International accused the junta of "repressive tactics" and "and arresting anyone critical of the poll".

Read more on Barron's

The election has been dismissed as a sham by opposition forces who have vowed to block it in areas they hold.

Read more on BBC

“We the People have had enough of the illegal actions being carried out by this sham administration,” Amy Stevens, one of the Orange County demonstration’s organizers, said in a statement.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Depending on your viewpoint in this broken country, and perhaps on your religion or your sect, the election was either a sham or a first step on the road to democracy.

Read more on BBC

Related: ‘Is this a good tax strategy or a sham transaction?’

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• farce 
• forgery 
• fraud 
• hypocrisy 
• mockery 
• travesty