sham
Plural
shams
1
a thing that is falsely presented as something it is not
- The "luxury" apartment building turned out to be a sham, with cheap materials and poor construction.
- The politician's promises were nothing but a sham, designed to win votes but never intended to be fulfilled.
- The so-called "free" health service turned out to be a sham, offering minimal care despite its claims.
2
a person pretending to be something they are not, often to deceive others
- He was exposed as a sham after lying about his qualifications.
- The so-called expert turned out to be a complete sham.
- She realized he was a sham, pretending to be wealthy.
- The sham claimed to be a doctor, but had no credentials.
- They accused the politician of being a sham, only in it for the money.
3
a form of deception or pretense meant to mislead others
- She had no patience for sham, valuing authenticity above all else.
- The politician's sham was exposed when it became clear he was not interested in real change.
- George abhorred sham and affectation, always striving for sincerity in his work.
- The sham in their relationship was obvious to everyone but themselves.