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

Her daughter, Vivian Ruvalcaba, believes her mother was experiencing mania during much of the interactions with the person she thought was Burton, allowing her to fall deeper into the sham relationship.

From Los Angeles Times

Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee accused Tung of giving only “sham answers” to their inquiries, both in chambers and through written follow-ups.

From Los Angeles Times

"The motion in front of us is a sham," they said.

From BBC

"I could not recommend any innocent victim to give this sham any credibility by participating in it. Other unionist leaders should equally stand strong against this betrayal."

From BBC

The Highlands and Islands MSP, speaking during time set aside to agree the parliamentary business programme, described the summit as a "sham" and a "farce".

From BBC

Related Words

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