Antonyms for sham


Grammar : Adj, noun, verb
Spell : sham
Phonetic Transcription : ʃæm


Definition of sham

Origin :
  • 1670s, "a trick, a hoax, a fraud," also as a verb and an adjective, of uncertain origin; the words burst into use in 1677. Perhaps from sham, a northern dialectal variant of shame (n.); a derivation OED finds "not impossible." Sense of "something meant to be mistaken for something else" is from 1728. The meaning "false front" in pillow-sham (1721) is from the notion of "counterfeit." Related: Shammed; shamming; shammer. Shamateur "amateur sportsman who acts like a professional" is from 1896.
  • adj artificial, counterfeit
  • noun hoax, trick
  • verb trick; pull a hoax
Example sentences :
  • But women must beware of sham emotion and lachrymose sentimentality.
  • Extract from : « The Truth About Woman » by C. Gasquoine Hartley
  • Will this country ever escape the tutorship of sham science?
  • Extract from : « Diary from November 12, 1862, to October 18, 1863 » by Adam Gurowski
  • And whether the one or the other, it is a sham more pernicious than the worst.
  • Extract from : « The Book of Khalid » by Ameen Rihani
  • It is only sham battles that cost something less than blood.
  • Extract from : « Things as They Are » by Amy Wilson-Carmichael
  • It is a veritable 'sham,' having no relation to fact, or to truth of any kind.
  • Extract from : « Phaedrus » by Plato
  • You come to me on this sham errand about the girl, but that is not your purpose, Mohammed of Mequinez!
  • Extract from : « The Scapegoat » by Hall Caine
  • Some one nearer than a sister—and all my spiritual life has been a sham.
  • Extract from : « The Christian » by Hall Caine
  • He cried like a child; said it was all a sham about his dinner and his robe de chambre.
  • Extract from : « Dr. Sevier » by George W. Cable
  • Could I, even for an instant, have been dazzled by a sham, and a sham of that quality?
  • Extract from : « Masterpieces of Mystery » by Various
  • It was the stone in the case that had the loop with the three sham sapphires!
  • Extract from : « Masterpieces of Mystery » by Various

Synonyms for sham

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019