sham

American  

[sham] / ʃæm /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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adjective

1. counterfeit or false; simulated

verb

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

   to sham illness

Related Words

See false.

Other Word Forms

• shammer noun
• unshammed adjective

Etymology

Origin of sham

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

Example Sentences

I know so many people who don't have the luxury of an insurance policy so I would feel like a sham if I moaned about my situation.

From BBC

This is a pattern in the charges: Defendants set up sham companies, then submitted false claims.

From The Wall Street Journal

Troy Brenes, an Orange County attorney who co-counseled with one of the firms over flawed medical devices, accused the company of operating a “sham law firm” as part of a 2022 court battle over fees.

From Los Angeles Times

Both understood the consulting to be a sham, according to their pleas.

From The Wall Street Journal

In one alleged scheme, the outfit Feeding Our Future recruited individuals to set up a network of sham companies and sites that claimed to feed children in the pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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