SHAM definition: 1. something that is not what it seems to be and is intended to deceive people, or someone who…. Learn more.

Understanding the Context

Sham ( – ) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the leading American three-year-olds of 1973 and finished second to Secretariat in both the 1973 Kentucky Derby and 1973 Preakness Stakes. [1][2] Something false or empty that is purported to be genuine: "Because she had been so readily unfaithful, her marriage was a sham" (Alice Munro). b.

Key Insights

Deceitfulness or pretense: "She saw herself as a person surrounded by, living by, sham" (Alice Munro). c. One who claims to be what he or she is not; an impostor or fraud: "He a man! Hell! The meaning of SHAM is a trick that deludes : hoax.

Final Thoughts

How to use sham in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Sham. SHAM definition: something that is not what it purports to be; a spurious imitation; fraud or hoax. See examples of sham used in a sentence. The simple definition of SHAM is something that is not what it appears to be and that is meant to trick or deceive people. Something that is a sham is not real or is not really what it seems to be.

The government's promises were exposed as a hollow sham. Many of the world's leaders have already denounced this election as a sham. ...sham marriages. Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary.