sham

American  

[sham] / ʃæm /

noun

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

   Synonyms:

   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

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.

Example Sentences

It included a sham surgery control group, allowing researchers to directly compare outcomes against a placebo procedure.

From Science Daily • May 6, 2026

In the town, the business of sham dog shelters is an open secret.

From BBC • May 3, 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

Last week, federal authorities arrested eight people and charged 15 in an alleged scheme to steal more than $50 million in healthcare funds by running sham hospice facilities across Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Gatsby is alone when the book begins, and he dies alone, with his life exposed as a sham and almost no one to come to his funeral.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove

Related Words

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