sham

• Désigne quelque chose qui est faux, faux-semblant, ou destiné à tromper, souvent en imitant une chose réelle sans en avoir la valeur.

Describes something that is false, fake, or intended to deceive.

1. Fake or pretendedB2formal

   Adopted or used in order to deceive; not genuine.

   faux, simulé

   • The company was accused of a sham transaction to hide its losses.
   • He offered a sham apology that no one believed.
   • The election was a sham, with no real choice for voters.

   Synonymesartificialboguscounterfeitfakefalsefeignedinsinceremockphonypretendedsimulatedspurious

   Antonymesactualauthenticgenuinehonestlegitimaterealsinceretruevalid

• Nom désignant quelque chose de faux ou qui n'est pas ce qu'il paraît être, ou une personne qui prétend être autre chose de manière trompeuse.

A noun referring to something that is a counterfeit or not what it seems to be, or a person who makes deceitful pretenses.

1. Counterfeit or fakeB2formal

   Something that is not genuine; a pretense or imitation designed to deceive.

   Faux, imitation trompeuse

   • The painting was a sham, not an original masterpiece.
   • His apology was a sham; he didn't mean a word of it.
   • The charity turned out to be a sham, collecting money for a false cause.

   Synonymescounterfeitfakefraudhoaximitationpretencesimulation

   Antonymesauthenticgenuinereal

2. Deceitful personB2formal

   A person who pretends to be something they are not, often to gain advantage.

   Imposteur

   • He was exposed as a sham, claiming to be a doctor without a license.
   • She realized her business partner was a sham who had lied about his credentials.
   • The psychic was a sham, using tricks to fool her clients.

   Synonymescharlatanfakefraudhumbugimpostormountebankphonypretender

• Verbe désignant l'action de faire semblant ou de simuler quelque chose, souvent dans le but de tromper les autres.

A verb used to indicate the act of pretending or feigning something, often to deceive others.

1. Pretend or feignB2formal

   To make a false show of something; to pretend to have a feeling, condition, or quality.

   feindre

   • He shammed illness to avoid going to work.
   • She shammed surprise when she already knew the news.
   • The actor shammed a heart attack for the scene.

   Synonymesactaffectcounterfeitdissemblefakefeignmalingerpretendput onsimulate

   Antonymesauthenticatebemanifest

2. Deceive by pretendingB2formal

   To make believe with the intent to deceive others.

   feindre

   • The con artist shammed a business deal to steal money.
   • He shammed interest in her story just to be polite.
   • They shammed a robbery to collect insurance money.

   Synonymesaffectcounterfeitdissemblefakefeignpretendsimulate