Meaning & use
hammy
Last updated
Exaggerated or overly theatrical, especially in acting or performance.
See it in a sentence
The actor's hammy delivery got laughs, though it wasn't the subtle performance the director wanted.
Critics praised the film despite some hammy dialogue in the final act.
A note on using this word
Derives from "ham actor," an old theatrical term for a performer who overacts.
Words with a similar meaning
overactedtheatricalmelodramatic
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