Phony and Sham

Phony

Phony adjective - Being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud.
Usage example: a phony watch with a designer logo

Sham is a synonym for phony in fake topic. In some cases you can use "Sham" instead the word "Phony" as a noun or an adjective or a verb, when it comes to topics like counterfeit, characteristic, true, unprincipled. popular alternative

Nearby Words: phoney, phone, phoning

Sham

Sham adjective - Being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials.
Usage example: a sofa upholstered in sham leather

Phony is a synonym for sham in counterfeit topic. You can use "Phony" instead the word "Sham" as an adjective or a noun or a verb, if it concerns topics such as characteristic, artificial, fake, true. popular alternative

Nearby Word: shame
Cite this Source
Sham and Phony. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 18, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/phony/sham
Phony & Sham. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/phony/sham>.
Sham or Phony. 2016. Accessed August 18, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/phony/sham.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "phony" and "sham" have occurred on timeline