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to sham

to sham

1 6.4
To pretend to be or feel something to trick people
  • verb
  • /ʃæm/
translation icon : fingir
  • That's just one problem that I see, because mixing studies that compare acupuncture to no treatment, to sham treatment, or to sham treatment and no treatment are comparing apples and oranges in a way.

Examples

  • - You can't sham a reflex, sir.

  • a) "Mixing studies that compare acupuncture to no treatment, to sham treatment, or to sham treatment and no treatment are comparing apples and oranges in a way."

    Blog text (12)
  • a) "Mixing studies that compare acupuncture to no treatment, to sham treatment, or to sham treatment and no treatment are comparing apples and oranges in a way."

    Blog text (12)
  • That's just one problem that I see, because mixing studies that compare acupuncture to no treatment, to sham treatment, or to sham treatment and no treatment are comparing apples and oranges in a way.

    Blog text (12)
  • He tried to sham a cough to avoid answering the question.

  • In the play, the villain attempted to sham innocence to mislead the hero.

  • She decided to sham excitement for her friend's surprise party, even though she already knew about it.

Synonyms

to pretend
vsto sham
2.3

To act as if something is true when it is not

is used mainly for deliberate deception, not for harmless make-believe
to pose
vsto sham
172 6.1

To pretend to be someone you are not to trick people

is broader and applies to falsely presenting things, qualities, or situations
to affect
vsto sham
115 8.1

To pretend to have a feeling or quality to deceive others

is broader, also applying to falsely being or possessing items or roles
to misrepresent
vsto sham
71 6.9

Give a false story about someone or something to trick people

is more active and can include acting as if one is someone or something
to feign
vsto sham
40 7.2

Pretend to feel something, like surprise or interest, to trick other people

also covers presenting being or possessions, not only feelings
to masquerade
vsto sham
26 6.9

To pretend to be someone else to hide the truth

is used more generally to cover many kinds of false presentation
to live a lie
vsto sham
  • Informal
22 7.2

To hide the truth about yourself by pretending something else is true

is shorter term and may describe one act rather than ongoing deception
to simulate
vsto sham
20 6.7

Pretend to have a feeling to trick people

is used for falsely presenting being or possession as well as feelings
to bamboozle
vsto sham
  • Informal
11 8.3

To trick someone by pretending you want to help them

is more neutral, covering any false acting, not only trust-building ruses
to assume
vsto sham
11 5.0

Pretend to have a quality or feeling

has a wider use, also meaning to falsely be or own things
to dissemble
vsto sham
9 9.1

To hide true feelings or intentions by pretending to feel something else

is more general, applying to outward fakes beyond inner concealment
to spoof
vsto sham
3 6.0

Pretend to be a person or website online to trick people

is broader, not limited to imitation but to any false representation
to hoax
vsto sham
2 4.5

To trick people into believing something false

is more serious and can aim to harm or gain rather than amuse
under false colors
vsto sham
  • US
1 9.1

Pretending to be someone else to trick people

covers the same deception but in general situations beyond that idiom
to humbug
vsto sham
  • Archaic
1 8.7

To trick someone by pretending to be something they are not

is the general word for deliberate false presentation to deceive people
to play false
vsto sham
1 8.1

To trick someone who trusts you by hiding your real plans to get something for yourself

is broader, covering all forms of false display, not just hidden motives
to sail under false colors
vsto sham
  • Informal
8.4

To pretend to be someone else to trick people

is broader, not only about gaining advantage from false identity
to con someone
vsto sham
  • Slang
7.7

To trick someone to get their money

is wider, including false appearance or claims beyond simple scams
to flimflam
vsto sham
  • Archaic
9.6

To trick someone by lying or cheating

is broader and can include mere false appearance without financial fraud
to flimflammer
vsto sham
  • Offensive
9.9

To cheat someone using tricks or fake deals

is the general concept of false appearance, not only organised swindles

Antonyms

Say what really happened without hiding facts or lying

34 8.3

Stay honest and true to yourself

Compounds

1 4.7

A cover that makes a pillow look nice on a bed

A large port city in northwest Lebanon on the Mediterranean

A fake show of honesty to hide bad actions

Uncle Sham
  • Offensive
9.9

A nickname for a dishonest person who pretends to speak for the country

How Deceptive

to feign
40 7.2
to sham
1 6.4
to pretend
2.3
to simulate
22 5.5

Surface Forms

sham infinitive
shammed past
shammed past participle
shamming present participle
shams third person singular

Etymology

The verb sham grew from that same old informal sense of 'pretend': to act as if you have something when you do not. So to sham is to fake or pretend to fool others.