hammy

adjective

ham·​my ˈha-mē How to pronounce hammy (audio)
hammier; hammiest
: marked by exaggerated and usually self-conscious theatricality
hammily adverb
hamminess noun

Examples of hammy in a Sentence

a hammy singer whose overwrought renditions of love songs just beg listeners to cry
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Every actor’s Hamlet is theirs and theirs alone, and Olivier’s is big and hammy and searing and often quite devastating. Will Leitch, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2024 What that translates to, though, is a lot of intentionally hammy line deliveries and overaffected actions. Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025 Hemsworth is gleefully hammy as the OTT villain, while Taylor-Joy can do more eyes than seems humanly possible. Photo: Courtesy Of Mgm., refinery29.com, 23 Dec. 2024 Daniels is morose and whiny and Reynolds is hammy and over-the-top, which allows Stone to steal the movie, giving it its only modicum of zest and soul. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hammy 

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hammy was in 1929

Dictionary Entries Near hammy

Cite this Entry

“Hammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hammy. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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