Humbug and Sham

Humbug

Humbug noun - An imitation that is passed off as genuine.
Usage example: tests showed that the “old” map of America was a cleverly made humbug

Sham is a synonym for humbug in deception topic. In some cases you can use "Sham" instead the word "Humbug" as a noun or a verb, when it comes to topics like fraud, charlatan, insincerity.

Sham

Sham noun - A poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something.
Usage example: condemned the rigged election as a total sham

Humbug is a synonym for sham in fraud topic. You can use "Humbug" instead the word "Sham" as a noun or a verb, if it concerns topics such as deception.

Nearby Word: shame

How words are described

big big humbug big sham
Cite this Source
Sham and Humbug. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/humbug/sham
Humbug & Sham. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/humbug/sham>.
Sham or Humbug. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/humbug/sham.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "humbug" and "sham" have occurred on timeline