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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sham
Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
The result could indicate a potential connection with the placebo effect, a phenomenon whereby a sham intervention shows positive results in people who expect the treatment to benefit them.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 19 Jan. 2026
Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2026
This was one big sham generated by AI.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sham
Adjective
Driscoll along with Healey was also part of a sham awarding of a nearly $1 billion contract to the Irish firm Applegreen to refurbish the state highway service areas.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
The result could indicate a potential connection with the placebo effect, a phenomenon whereby a sham intervention shows positive results in people who expect the treatment to benefit them.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 19 Jan. 2026
Noun
Many are calling Belichick’s apparent lack of inclusion a sham or a snub, and even the most reasonable of NFL fans — like Patrick Mahomes — are baffled.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2026
This was one big sham generated by AI.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sham
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sham
Adjective
-
The hiker aesthetic is rounded out with hardware trims on the Ghillie laces and a warm faux-fur lining.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
For bird lovers who want to recreate this whimsical display, fill a medium-size pot with about three-quarters full with potting mix, then place a faux bird's nest from the crafts shop on top (lightly fill it with potting mix as well).—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Estée Lauder is suing Walmart in federal court alleging that the retailer sold counterfeit versions of the cosmetic company's fragrance and skin care products in its online store.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
-
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Estée Lauder is suing Walmart, claiming that the big-box retailer sold counterfeit beauty products on its online marketplace.—
Josephine Rozzelle,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Pharmacy technician students practice compounding mock medications such as lip balms and creams.—
Wilborn P. Nobles III,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The oversized mock-neck sweater tucks chicly into the pencil-leg pants, primed for rolling at the hems and styling with chunky sneakers for long travel days.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Humphrey, determined to recreate the video as accurately as possible, worked with Southwest to film her parody on a real plane with the same flight attendant from the first video.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The governor’s willingness to mock the president through aggressive social-media parody elevated him to de facto resistance leader.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His thinking was contradictory at times but extensive; if this was a hoax, the execution was quite good.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The former agent suggested this could mean the kidnappers may be from overseas or that the note is a hoax.—
Carlos Garcia,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Officials allege Redzepagic — who recently lived in Florida — was involved in a fraud scheme between May 2021 and March 2025.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
13 Feb. 2026
-
French police have detained nine people in relation to a ticketing fraud scheme that may have cost the Louvre €10 million ($12 million).—
News Desk,
Artforum,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When Game 3 of the 1917 World Series between the White Sox and New York Giants was rained out, Lardner was in New York and wrote a fictional column pretending the game had actually been played.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Led by the energetic Danny, the show take viewers on adventures to find pirate treasure, pretend to be superheroes, and fly like an airplane.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The agency allegedly used Bank of America accounts to lure young women with fake modeling offers, while financial records suggest the bank was aware of these suspicious connections, according to plaintiff’s claims.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Some guests got very into it—one adopted a fake British accent for the duration.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sham.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sham. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
