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
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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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fraud
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
that supposed French movie star was a sham
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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
Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 13 Aug. 2025
At least a one-point pain reduction was achieved by 91% of those in the intervention group, versus 66% of sham participants.
—New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2025
Rachel Trujillo, People.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images The Kremlin declared in fall 2022 that Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions were now part of Russia after referendums widely condemned as a sham.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sham
Adjective
Burkhart executed and skimmed money via sham contracts and business deals.
—Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 13 Aug. 2025
At least a one-point pain reduction was achieved by 91% of those in the intervention group, versus 66% of sham participants.
—New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
It’s woven from 100 percent organic cotton, includes a quilt and matching shams, and comes in both dark gray and olive green.
—Rachel Trujillo, People.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images The Kremlin declared in fall 2022 that Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions were now part of Russia after referendums widely condemned as a sham.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sham
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sham
Adjective
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Subtle bits of faux wheat give it additional texture, and there’s an attached loop in the back for easy hanging.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Pair the duo with fairy lights, a thin linen runner, and more faux foliage to create a stunning seasonal scene.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Authorities in the United States and the United Kingdom have warned consumers that counterfeit Labubu are poorly made and may contain small, detachable parts such as eyes, hands, and feet, which present a serious choking hazard to young children.—
Haicen Yang,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
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An exam by an independent certified jeweler confirmed the watches were counterfeit.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The conversations, of course, were mock for journalistic purposes.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The piping adds an athletic flair to the mock-neck sweater and sweatpant set, and small slits on the front of the hems add extra interest.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
At home, Russia’s wartime economy looks like a parody of Soviet stagnation, exactly what Putin warned against in the early years of his presidency.—
Jeremy Shapiro,
The Atlantic,
10 Sep. 2025
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Comedian John Early’s directorial debut, ostensibly a pastiche of basic-cable TV movies, is not a parody, or a satire, or even a comedy.—
Sam Bodrojan,
IndieWire,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Air Force took this case seriously under Project Blue Book, officially classifying it as ‘unexplained’ after finding no evidence of a hoax.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Sep. 2025
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This is not a hoax, Marina Lacerda, another of the survivors, said.—
Emily Goodin,
Miami Herald,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Julie and Todd were found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud in June 2022, while Julie was also found guilty of wire fraud.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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The election is complicated by the fact that Brown faces felony fraud charges.—
Josh Bergeron,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The challenge is to stop pretending the current tools give full control and start demanding real visibility.—
Jagadeesh Kunda,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Kelley susses out that Göring is pretending not to understand or speak English, and for a couple of scenes that gives the shrink a leg up.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Federal Trade Commission issued an alert earlier in 2025 to encourage parents to talk to their children about the risks associated with responding to a fake text.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
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To make Reen feel comfortable and truly welcomed, Long’s entire extended family wore fake tattoo sleeves to the reunion.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sham.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sham. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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