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
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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
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
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
Over 1,000 murdered whilst queuing for aid, starved due to their siege, whilst pitiful amounts of aid delivered by a sham agency controlled by Israel.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
Brittney Morgan, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2025
Later that year Moscow unilaterally – and illegally – annexed both after sham referenda, along with the southern regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, despite only partially occupying them.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sham
Adjective
This means that far from just being a sham treatment, placebo is a legitimate tool in your pain toolbox.
—Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
Over 1,000 murdered whilst queuing for aid, starved due to their siege, whilst pitiful amounts of aid delivered by a sham agency controlled by Israel.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
Pizuna Cotton Sateen Duvet Cover To continue the all-white hotel aesthetic, choose a white duvet cover and matching pillow shams.
—Brittney Morgan, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2025
Later that year Moscow unilaterally – and illegally – annexed both after sham referenda, along with the southern regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, despite only partially occupying them.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sham
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sham
Adjective
-
The dual-sided design has plush faux-shearling on one side for extra-cold days and soft coral fleece on the other.—
Jamie Fischer,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Steve Madden Tully-P Patent Shoulder Bag Go for a glitzy look with this burgundy shoulder bag in glossy faux patent leather.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The 20 counterfeit products CNBC tested for its investigation.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,Paige Tortorelli,
CNBC,
19 Sep. 2025
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The people who chased and shot at former Denver Broncos player Josh Reynolds and his two friends last year mistook the trio for people who’d used counterfeit money to purchase $250,000 worth of cocaine in an earlier drug deal, according to court records.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Learners also engaged in mock sales calls with members of the Hawks’ sales staff, receiving real-time feedback in small breakout rooms.—
Ryan Stowers,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo in their latest 2026 mock draft have Peterson edging out BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Tennessee’s Nate Ament for the top spot.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
However the season's second episode, which features a parody of Charlie Kirk, continues to be absent from the schedule.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
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However, this reboot is more so a parody that starts as a reboot, but is definitely not a reboot.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In turn, the Koch brothers supported climate denial think tanks, while Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch’s Fox News nightly broadcasts worked overtime to convince Americans that both climate change and COVID-19 were hoaxes or that vaccines were ineffective or unsafe.—
Michael E. Mann,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
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While these hoaxes mostly ended up being false alarms, experts note that these types of hoaxes are not only a serious crime with substantial penalties for those involved but can also put first responders and bystanders at risk.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Still, fraud investigations are likely to remain in the headlines, presenting a lasting vulnerability for the governor, Schier said.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
20 Sep. 2025
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More recently, her brother, Jose Napoleon, the director of admissions at Azure College in Fort Lauderdale, was charged this year with a wire-fraud conspiracy involving the sale of false nursing degrees.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The study saw parents use actions to joke and pretend with kids aged 16 to 20 months old.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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Scrolling on one’s phone can be a deadening experience, but here’s someone feeling, or at least pretending to feel, a genuine feeling—even if the abundance of these videos surely numbs us further.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The love story is reluctant allies to lovers, with a dash of fake dating, a pinch of pen pals and a whole clove of secret identities.—
Lia Amador,
PEOPLE,
20 Sep. 2025
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All of the students purchased their fake degrees for $10,000 to $20,000 each.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sham.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sham. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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