adj · name · noun · verb · 16 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈʃæm/without æ-raising
[ˈʃhæm]without æ-raising
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada, US:/ˈʃeə̯m/
Canada, US:[ˈʃheə̯m]
Canada, US:/ˈʃɛə̯m/
Canada, US:[ˈʃhɛə̯m]
rhymes with -æm
CMU ARPABET:SH AE1 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Intended to deceive; false.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
It was only a sham wedding: they didn't care much for one another, but wanted their parents to stop hassling them.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Counterfeit; unreal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
name
Meaning 3
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A fake; an imitation that purports to be genuine.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
The time-share deal was a sham.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
Trickery, hoaxing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
A con-man must be skilled in the arts of sham and deceit.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A false front, or removable ornamental covering.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A decorative cover for a pillow.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
Clipping of champagne.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Narrower terms: play possum, take a dive, talk through one's hat, bullshit, bull, fake, mouth
16
verb
Meaning 16
make a pretence of
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
She assumed indifference, even though she was seething with anger
he feigned sleep
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: simulate, assume, feign
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: dissemble, pretend, act
Narrower terms: play, feint
History
Etymology
Probably a dialectal form of shame. Alternatively, sham is a term that is used to describe the bottom thick base of a glass, usually a wine or stem glass, where the stem meets the bulbous shape bowl. Glass manufacturers would increase the "sham" to deceive customers into thinking a glass holds more than it actually does. For example, a manufacturer would mold a 12oz glass with a larger "sham" in the base to reduce the volume of the glasses to fit 10-11oz of liquid. By increasing the bulge in the base, usually where the stem meets the glass, it is almost impossible to visually distinguish the difference. This gives the illusion the glass size is the same as any another 12oz glass, but the inside will hold a lesser volume. Later, bringing use to the term "you got shammed" when one party tries to hide something and/or get over on the other party using deceiving tactics.
It could be from Arabic شَام (šām, literally “Syria”), from which it spread also to Gujarat. Perhaps also an altered spelling of French Cham.
Across languages
Translations
103 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
престорен
(prestoren)
— intended to deceive
Bulgarian:
подправен
(podpraven)
— intended to deceive
Catalan:
fals
— intended to deceive
Chinese Mandarin:
偽 /伪
(wěi)
— intended to deceive
Czech:
falešný
— intended to deceive
Czech:
předstíraný
— intended to deceive
Czech:
naoko
— intended to deceive
Esperanto:
falsa
— intended to deceive
Esperanto:
pseŭda
— intended to deceive
Esperanto:
trompa
— intended to deceive
Finnish:
näennäinen
— intended to deceive
German:
falsch
— intended to deceive
German:
Schein-
— intended to deceive
Hungarian:
ál-
— intended to deceive
Italian:
fasullo
— intended to deceive
Polish:
udawany
— intended to deceive
Romanian:
păcăleală
— intended to deceive
Russian:
фикти́вный
(fiktívnyj)
— intended to deceive
Russian:
фальшивый
(falʹšivyj)
— intended to deceive
Spanish:
falso
— intended to deceive
Spanish:
fingido
— intended to deceive
Spanish:
ficticio
— intended to deceive
Spanish:
sacha
— intended to deceive
Ottoman Turkish:
یالان
(yalan)
— intended to deceive
Ottoman Turkish:
یالانجی
(yalancı)
— intended to deceive
Ottoman Turkish:
ساخته
(sahte)
— intended to deceive
