What is the meaning of sham?

noun

• Something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be.
  • synonyms: fake, postiche
• A person who makes deceitful pretenses.
  • synonyms: imposter, impostor, pretender, fake, faker, fraud, shammer, pseudo, pseud, role player

verb

• Make a pretence of.
  • usage: "She assumed indifference, even though she was seething with anger"; "he feigned sleep"
  • synonyms: simulate, assume, feign
• Make believe with the intent to deceive.
  • usage: "He feigned that he was ill"; "He shammed a headache"
  • synonyms: feign, pretend, affect, dissemble

adjective

• Adopted in order to deceive.
  • usage: "an assumed name"; "an assumed cheerfulness"; "a fictitious address"; "fictive sympathy"; "a pretended interest"; "a put-on childish voice"; "sham modesty"
  • synonyms: assumed, false, fictitious, fictive, pretended, put on