sham 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of shamnext
1
as in faux
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials a sofa upholstered in sham leather

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in counterfeit
being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud street vendors selling sham designer handbags to gullible tourists

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality the sham friendliness of a salesman trying to sell you something

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sham

2 of 3

noun

ˈsham How to pronounce sham (audio)
1
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something condemned the rigged election as a total sham

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hoax
an imitation that is passed off as genuine the diamond turned out to be a sham

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fraud
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise that supposed French movie star was a sham

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sham

3 of 3

verb

as in to pretend
to present a false appearance of shammed a most unconvincing limp just to get sympathy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sham different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of sham are counterfeit, fake, fraud, humbug, and imposture. While all these words mean "a thing made to seem other than it is," sham applies to fraudulent imitation of a real thing or action.

condemned the election as a sham

Where would counterfeit be a reasonable alternative to sham?

In some situations, the words counterfeit and sham are roughly equivalent. However, counterfeit applies especially to the close imitation of something valuable.

20-dollar bills that were counterfeits

When could fake be used to replace sham?

The meanings of fake and sham largely overlap; however, fake implies an imitation of or substitution for the genuine but does not necessarily imply dishonesty.

these jewels are fakes; the real ones are in the vault

In what contexts can fraud take the place of sham?

While the synonyms fraud and sham are close in meaning, fraud usually implies a deliberate perversion of the truth.

the diary was exposed as a fraud

When is it sensible to use humbug instead of sham?

Although the words humbug and sham have much in common, humbug suggests elaborate pretense usually so flagrant as to be transparent.

creating publicity by foisting humbugs on a gullible public

When might imposture be a better fit than sham?

The words imposture and sham can be used in similar contexts, but imposture applies to any situation in which a spurious object or performance is passed off as genuine.

their claim of environmental concern is an imposture

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sham
Adjective
To conceal the scheme and hide the bribes, prosecutors say, Zhu entered into a sham retainer agreement with Carone’s younger brother, Anthony Carone, 54, who is alleged to have laundered the payments through his law firm. — Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 2 July 2026 UniQure on Wednesday said the FDA wants to align on that study’s design, including comparing the treatment to the current standard of care rather than a sham procedure. — Angelica Peebles, CNBC, 17 June 2026
Noun
Filling Decorative Pillow Shams Decorative pillow shams in guest bedrooms that get little use offer an easy way to repurpose old towels. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 16 Aug. 2026 Get the matching shams to complete the look, or mix-match it with a variety of earthy fall hues in your bedroom like warm terracotta, olive green, and light wheat. — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sham
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sham
  1. faux
  2. counterfeit
  3. mock
  4. parody
  5. hoax
  6. fraud
  7. pretend
  8. fake
Adjective
  • Dash, 2026, the forty-seven-minute, two-channel essay-film at the project’s core, is filled with quiet, almost meditative scenes of machines tilling the land that initially conjure a faux-pastoral aesthetic register.
    — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • These best-selling boots are the perfect pairing for your faux-suede purse.
    — Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of faux
Adjective
  • In February, detectives received a tip that counterfeit goods were being stored and sold from a home on the 3100 block of Northwest 81st Terrace, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said in an arrest affidavit.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Families typically will have no way of knowing what materials are inside counterfeit products.
    — Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of counterfeit
Adjective
  • The outfit consisted of a sleeveless, mock-neck blouse in mocha-brown, tucked into a tawny suede skirt that hit just above her ankles.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Mirroring the look of King’s footwear, Osaka sported a metallic silver pleated top with a mock neckline and no sleeves.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of mock
Noun
  • This magazine, established in 1955, publishes lighthearted parodies of academic literature, bogus scientific studies, and satirical commentary on absurd research.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The order, which directs federal officials to formalize the name change within 30 days, quickly sparked backlash, jokes and parody proposals.
    — Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of parody
Noun
  • Wheatland police later described the incident as a hoax and said the department and Yuba County Sheriff’s Office were investigating its source.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • While Locke failed in that regard, his articles live on as one of the most famous media hoaxes.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of hoax
Noun
  • Colorado has no shortage of important legal priorities, from protecting consumers against fraud to addressing the complex issues facing families and businesses across the state.
    — Robin Rossenfeld, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2026
  • So far, only one conviction has come out of the sweeping fraud investigation of Loretto’s former executives.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of fraud
Verb
  • The two are only able to unlock a new understanding of each other by pretending to be strangers meeting for the first time.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • One, a 35-year-old man, pretended to be a San Francisco 49ers player or a wealthy real estate investor, the Department of Justice said.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretend
Adjective
  • Jump scares, dudes with chainsaws, fake blood and adult drinks accentuated with gummy worms.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Days later, Britain’s AI Security Institute said that Anthropic’s most advanced AI model had used fake identities to cover its tracks and attempt to plant malicious code during testing.
    — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of fake

Browse Nearby Words

shallows
sham
shaman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sham.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sham. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All