Sham Definition & Meaning

sham
adjective
  1. adopted in order to deceive; "an assumed name"; "an assumed cheerfulness"; "a fictitious address"; "fictive sympathy"; "a pretended interest"; "a put-on childish voice"; "sham modesty"
noun
  1. something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be
  2. a person who makes deceitful pretenses
verb
  1. make a pretence of; "She assumed indifference, even though she was seething with anger"; "he feigned sleep"
  2. make believe with the intent to deceive; "He feigned that he was ill"; "He shammed a headache"

Synonyms for sham

affect noun

the conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion have an effect upon

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assume verb

take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof

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assumed adj

adopted in order to deceive; "an assumed name"; "an assumed cheerfulness"; "a fictitious address"; "fictive sympathy

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counterfeit adj

not genuine; imitating something superior; "counterfeit emotion"; "counterfeit money"; "counterfeit works of art

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dissemble verb

make believe with the intent to deceive; "He feigned that he was ill

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fake adj

fraudulent; having a misleading appearance not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article

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faker noun

a person who makes deceitful pretenses

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false adv

in a disloyal and faithless manner; "he behaved treacherously

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feign verb

make believe with the intent to deceive; "He feigned that he was ill"; "He shammed a headache" make a pretence of

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fictitious adj

formed or conceived by the imagination; "a fabricated excuse for his absence"; "a fancied wrong

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"Sham" in song lyrics

See how sham is used in real songs:

  • "A slug in the brain cause you tried to sham"
    Black Moon f/ Big Dru Ha, Havoc, Smif-N-Wessun — U Da Man
  • "Buck Bam Sham"
    Da Hol' 9 — Lemmehollatcha (Remix)
  • "To take my life before they figure out it's all a sham"
    Elemental Zazen — Disappear

Words that rhyme with sham

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Usage tips for "sham"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "sham" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for sham to find words that pair well.

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♫ Rhymes with sham ↔ Synonyms for sham 🔬 Words containing sham

Frequently asked questions

What does sham mean?
adopted in order to deceive; "an assumed name"; "an assumed cheerfulness"; "a fictitious address"; "fictive sympathy"; "a pretended interest"; "a put-on childish voice"; "sham modesty" something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be a person who makes deceitful pretenses make a pretence of; "She assumed indifference, even though she was seething with anger"; "he feigned sleep" make believe with the intent to deceive; "He feigned that he was ill"; "He shammed a headache"
What part of speech is sham?
Sham is an adjective, a noun, and a verb.
How many definitions does sham have?
Sham has 5 definitions across 3 parts of speech (adjective, noun, verb).

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