Synonyms of sham

sham 1 of 3

adjective

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

• faux
• fake
• synthetic
• simulated
• dummy
• artificial
• false
• imitation
• mock
• bogus
• imitative
• manufactured
• ersatz
• pretend
• factitious
• mimic
• counterfeit
• substitute
• process
• deceptive
• designer
• manipulated
• man-made
• fabricated
• engineered
• pseudo
• phoney
• fraudulent
• cultured
• forged
• misleading
• phony
• concocted
• unauthentic
• adulterated
• doctored
• fudged
• feigned
• spurious
• affected
• tampered (with)
• juggled
• pinchbeck
• brummagem

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• real
• genuine
• natural
• true
• legitimate
• authentic
• bona fide
• valuable
• pure
• quality
• premium
• unadulterated

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

• counterfeit
• fake
• false
• forged
• phoney
• phony
• bogus
• imitation
• ornamental
• inauthentic
• spurious
• manufactured
• artificial
• synthetic
• mock
• deceptive
• snide
• unauthentic
• simulated
• misleading
• dummy
• queer
• fabricated
• factitious
• cultured
• substitute
• mimic
• nonfunctioning
• delusive
• man-made

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• real
• genuine
• authentic
• bona fide
• natural
• true
• actual
• unfaked
• valid

3

as in mock

lacking in natural or spontaneous quality

the sham friendliness of a salesman trying to sell you something

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mock
• fake
• false
• strained
• unnatural
• pseudo
• mechanical
• simulated
• affected
• artificial
• phoney
• exaggerated
• phony
• bogus
• contrived
• forced
• plastic
• assumed
• theatrical
• feigned
• theatric
• pretended
• spurious
• factitious
• cute
• hollow
• put-on
• unreal
• empty
• calculated
• manufactured
• automatic
• formal
• deliberate
• hypocritical
• pat
• fabricated
• insincere
• unrealistic
• stiff
• unauthentic
• conventional
• labored
• wooden
• hokey
• canned
• concocted
• melodramatic
• facile
• unctuous
• conscious
• histrionic
• impersonal
• rigid
• mealy
• cultivated
• two-faced
• premeditated
• stylized
• double-dealing
• mealymouthed
• mincing
• artful
• simpering
• overdone
• genteel
• studied
• cutesy
• overacted
• inflexible
• goody-goody
• overrefined
• left-handed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• genuine
• real
• natural
• true
• unaffected
• spontaneous
• artless
• right
• authentic
• realistic
• bona fide
• sincere
• honest
• easy
• ingenuous
• unfeigned
• smooth
• unforced
• uncontrived
• effortless
• unconscious
• impromptu
• instinctive
• unpretending
• impulsive
• extemporaneous
• unstudied
• unrehearsed
• unprompted

sham

2 of 3

noun

ˈsham 

1

as in parody

a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something

condemned the rigged election as a total sham

Synonyms & Similar Words

• parody
• joke
• caricature
• farce
• cartoon
• travesty
• hoax
• mockery
• simulation
• comedy
• burlesque
• pretence
• pretense
• counterfeit
• fake
• forgery
• phony
• phoney
• takeoff
• humbug
• feigning
• lampoon
• knockoff

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tribute
• homage

2

as in hoax

an imitation that is passed off as genuine

the diamond turned out to be a sham

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hoax
• counterfeit
• phoney
• phony
• fake
• copy
• reproduction
• forgery
• replica
• humbug
• synthetic
• bastard
• knockoff
• swindle
• spoof
• copycat
• simulation
• fraud
• dummy
• facsimile
• imposture
• shoddy
• mock-up
• gaff
• duffer
• brummagem

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• original

3

as in fraud

one who makes false claims of identity or expertise

that supposed French movie star was a sham

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fraud
• fake
• pretender
• phoney
• imposter
• charlatan
• phony
• faker
• quack
• deceiver
• impostor
• misleader
• mountebank
• ringer
• fakir
• humbug
• actor
• operator
• counterfeiter
• hoaxer
• quacksalver
• sharper
• copycat
• mimic
• imitator
• dissembler
• swindler
• impersonator
• poseur
• skinner
• dodger
• trickster
• duper
• bluffer
• defrauder
• scammer
• fraudster
• feigner
• scamster
• sharpie
• sharpy
• cozener

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• master
• expert
• professional
• ace
• virtuoso
• wizard
• authority
• past master
• maestro
• whiz
• adept
• crackajack
• crackerjack

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

• pretend
• simulate
• assume
• act
• fake
• affect
• pass (for)
• bluff
• feign
• counterfeit
• make believe
• put on
• dissemble
• profess
• conceal
• masquerade
• pose
• forge
• play
• mask
• disguise
• imitate
• camouflage
• let on
• dissimulate
• impersonate
• playact
• feint
• malinger

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

Recent Examples of sham

Adjective

Soon after invading Ukraine, the Kremlin conducted sham referendums in the four Ukrainian provinces where the bulk of the fighting took place, purportedly showing overwhelming support for joining Russia, and annexed them soon after. —Anatoly Kurmanaev, New York Times, 17 May 2025

As her regime became more autocratic, elections became sham exercises and space for dissent and debate withered. —Simon Montlake, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025

Noun

Few in the 1990s anticipated the emergence of revisionist powers, for whom the existing order was a sham, a cover for the dominance of the United States and its allies. —Margaret MacMillan, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2025

The cruelty of his dishonest sham, founded on disdain for the autistic community and aimed at parents of autistic children, defies decency. —Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2025