adjective
sham
SHAM
adjective
1
Fake or intended to deceive; not genuine.
"The couple staged a sham marriage to get a visa."
noun
1
Something fraudulent that pretends to be real; a fake.
"The charity turned out to be a complete sham."
2
A decorative pillow cover.
"She matched the pillow shams to the new bedspread."
verb
1
To fake or pretend.
"He shammed illness to avoid the meeting."
How to Use Sham
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFake, or a fraud — something that isn't what it claims to be.
Common pairings
sham marriage
pillow sham
a total sham
Word Forms
more sham comparative, shammed past tense, shams plural, Shams plural, shams singular, most sham superlative
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The couple staged a _____ marriage to get a visa.
Etymology
Probably a dialect form of "shame".