Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [sham]
- /ʃæm/
- /ʃæm/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [sham]
- /ʃæm/
Definitions of sham word
- noun sham something that is not what it purports to be; a spurious imitation; fraud or hoax. 1
- noun sham a person who shams; shammer. 1
- noun sham a cover or the like for giving a thing a different outward appearance: a pillow sham. 1
- adjective sham pretended; counterfeit; feigned: sham attacks; a sham Gothic façade. 1
- adjective sham designed, made, or used as a sham. 1
- verb with object sham to produce an imitation of. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of sham
First appearance:
before 1670 One of the 47% oldest English words
First recorded in 1670-80; origin uncertain
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Sham
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
sham popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 94% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
sham usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for sham
noun sham
- affectation — If you say that someone's attitude or behaviour is an affectation, you disapprove of the fact that it is not genuine or natural, but is intended to impress other people.
- apery — imitative behaviour; mimicry
- barratry — (formerly) the vexatious stirring up of quarrels or bringing of lawsuits
- beanbag — A beanbag is a large round cushion filled with tiny pieces of plastic or rubber. It takes the shape of your body when you sit on it.
- bed linen — Bed linen is sheets and pillowcases.
verb sham
- affect — If something affects a person or thing, it influences them or causes them to change in some way.
- antiqued — An antiqued object is modern but has been made to look like an antique.
- antiquing — of or belonging to the past; not modern.
- bluff — A bluff is an attempt to make someone believe that you will do something when you do not really intend to do it.
- bunco — a swindle, esp one by confidence tricksters
adj sham
- artificial — Artificial objects, materials, or processes do not occur naturally and are created by human beings, for example using science or technology.
- assumed — false; fictitious
- barmecidal — giving only the illusion of plenty; illusory: a Barmecidal banquet.
- bastard — Bastard is an insulting word which some people use about a person, especially a man, who has behaved very badly.
- blue sky — fanciful; impractical: blue-sky ideas.
adjective sham
- copied — an imitation, reproduction, or transcript of an original: a copy of a famous painting.
- ersatz — (of a product) Made or used as a substitute, typically an inferior one, for something else.
- imitated — Simple past tense and past participle of imitate.
- impostrous — (archaic) Characterized by imposture; deceitful.
- invented — Fictional, made up, imaginary.
Antonyms for sham
adj sham
- carat — A carat is a unit for measuring the weight of diamonds and other precious stones. It is equal to 0.2 grams.
- for real — true; not merely ostensible, nominal, or apparent: the real reason for an act.
- genuine — possessing the claimed or attributed character, quality, or origin; not counterfeit; authentic; real: genuine sympathy; a genuine antique.
- honest-to-goodness — real or genuine.
- in the flesh — the soft substance of a human or other animal body, consisting of muscle and fat.
Top questions with sham
- what is a sham?
- what is a sham rock?
- what is a pillow sham?
- what is a bed sham?
- what is a euro sham?
- what is a sham bedding?
- what is sham?
- what does sham mean?
- how to make a pillow sham?
- what is a sham for a bed?
- what is a sham in a comforter set?
- what is a sham pillow?
- what is a standard sham?
- what is a sham in bedding?
- what is a bedding sham?