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
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
as in to pretend
to present a false appearance of
shammed a most unconvincing limp just to get sympathy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sham
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
26 May 2026
The case depicts sham interviews as a form of intentional discrimination on account of race.
—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
26 May 2026
Wai Moe,
NPR,
12 June 2026
The controversial $500,000 portion of PFAS money allocation scheme is a sham and undermines the public trust (Tamarac finds a $500,000 slush fund, editorial, May 21).
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sham
Adjective
Authorities investigated the theft of several off-highway vehicles in Dorchester and Dedham and arrested two males who participated in the sham business.
—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
26 May 2026
The case depicts sham interviews as a form of intentional discrimination on account of race.
—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
China is one of a small number of countries to have endorsed Myanmar's recent election conducted by the military junta that carried out the 2021 coup, a vote that most Western countries and human rights groups have dismissed as a sham.
—
Wai Moe,
NPR,
12 June 2026
The controversial $500,000 portion of PFAS money allocation scheme is a sham and undermines the public trust (Tamarac finds a $500,000 slush fund, editorial, May 21).
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sham
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sham
Adjective
-
Vxhinqy Crossbody Phone Strap With a faux leather strap, this universal lanyard is made for travelers who want both comfort and security.
-
Mavericks fans staged a faux funeral complete with a casket a day later in front of the Dirk Nowitzki statue outside American Airlines Center.
Adjective
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The counterfeit surgeon was waiting for his Starbucks order at JFK when Port Authority cops caught up with him.
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Lori Ann Talens, of Virginia Beach, Virgina, used a computer to design, create and produce a wide variety of counterfeit coupons in her Virginia Beach home, according to court documents.
Adjective
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After a season of travel, video and phone calls and texts speaking with agents, scouts, coaches, family members and those around these players, here is my final mock draft for the 2026 NHL Draft.
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The mock-neck adds a chic touch, and the color selection is genuinely impressive.
Noun
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Their outmoded style, with its seriousness and corniness, its big acting choices and low budgets, is basically impossible to recreate without falling into parody.
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Frankie stars in the musical comedy, a parody of the 1997 blockbuster Titanic set to a score of songs by Céline Dion.
Noun
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By probing his triple role as author, anthropologist and cult leader, the book asks why Americans hunger for seductive spiritual hoaxes.
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The Little Rock Zoo briefly stopped admitting visitors on Friday morning while authorities investigating a bomb threat that was found to be a hoax.
Noun
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Rollins said federal authorities have made 900 arrests for SNAP fraud during the last year and recovered $132 million in restitution.
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The future involves building robust connectors between merchant systems and UCP, and developing new solutions for agent identity and fraud detection.
Verb
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Aegon, reeling from his brother’s betrayal and, likely, the early stages of opiate withdrawal, refuses to pledge (pretend) fealty to the Blacks and so Larys reveals Aegon’s identity.
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But for a little while in Pinehurst, a room full of journalists and a parking lot full of golf fans agreed to pretend otherwise.
Adjective
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Authorities say the operation powered fake websites built to steal credit card numbers, passwords and other personal information.
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None of that makes the project fake.
Cite this Entry
“Sham.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sham. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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