sham

About 1.65 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. adjective Intended to deceive; false.

   It was only a sham wedding: they didn't care much for one another, but wanted their parents to stop hassling them.

2. adjective Counterfeit; unreal.
3. noun A fake; an imitation that purports to be genuine.

   The time-share deal was a sham.

4. noun Trickery, hoaxing.

   A con-man must be skilled in the arts of sham and deceit.

5. noun A false front, or removable ornamental covering.
6. noun A decorative cover for a pillow.
7. verb To deceive, cheat, lie.

   He shammed a migraine to avoid the exam.

8. verb To obtrude by fraud or imposition.

Similar words

fake faker dissemble pretended imposter feign assumed impostor pretend counterfeit

Often followed by

and of fight battle or feeding in to fights

Word family

shammed shammer shammers shamming shams