How to pronounce sham
Say it like SHAM. Sham is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sham. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHAM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sham pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHAMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of sham
American and British speakers say sham in essentially the same way: /ʃæm/ in the US and /ʃæm/ in the UK.
British respelling: sham.
What does sham mean?
- A fake; an imitation that purports to be genuine.“The time-share deal was a sham.”
- Trickery, hoaxing.“A con-man must be skilled in the arts of sham and deceit.”
- A false front, or removable ornamental covering.
- To deceive, cheat, lie.“He shammed a migraine to avoid the exam.”
- To obtrude by fraud or imposition.
- To assume the manner and character of; to imitate; to ape; to feign.
- 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.”
- Counterfeit; unreal.
Where does sham come from?
Alternatively, sham is a term that is used to describe the bottom thick base of a glass, usually a wine or stem glass, where the stem meets the bulbous shape bowl.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with sham
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sham.
Questions about saying sham
How do you pronounce sham?
Say SHAM. The American pronunciation is /ʃæm/. In British English it is /ʃæm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sham?
Sham is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SHAM.
Do Americans and Brits say sham the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ʃæm/ and the British form is /ʃæm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.