sham

sham

noun

Definition of SHAM

1

a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something <condemned the rigged election as a total sham>

Synonyms caricature, cartoon, farce, joke, parody, sham, travesty

Related Words burlesque, comedy; lampoon, takeoff; counterfeit, fake, feigning, forgery, hoax, humbug, knockoff, phony (also phoney), pretense (or pretence), sham, simulation

Near Antonyms homage, tribute

2

an imitation that is passed off as genuine <the bank robber's “gun” turned out to be a sham>

Synonyms counterfeit, forgery, hoax, humbug, phony (also phoney), sham

Related Words copycat, knockoff; copy, facsimile, replica, reproduction; dummy, mock-up; fraud, gaff, imposture, spoof, swindle; simulation, synthetic; bastard, brummagem, duffer, shoddy

Near Antonyms original

3

one who makes false claims of identity or expertise <that supposed French movie star was a sham>

Synonyms charlatan, fake, faker, fakir, fraud, hoaxer, humbug, mountebank, phony (also phoney), pretender, quack, quacksalver, ringer, sham

Related Words copycat, imitator, impersonator, mimic; actor, bluffer, counterfeiter, deceiver, dissembler, duper, feigner, misleader, operator, trickster; poseur; cozener, defrauder, dodger, fraudster [chiefly British], scammer, scamster, sharper, sharpie (or sharpy), skinner, swindler

Near Antonyms ace, adept, authority, crackerjack (also crackajack), expert, maestro, master, past master, professional, virtuoso, whiz, wizard