ham
verb
hammed; hamming
: to execute with exaggerated speech or gestures : overact
ham it up for the camera
: to overplay a part
Examples of ham in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Anna Faris and Regina Hall ham it up alongside Marlon and Shawn Wayans.
—
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
In 1985, the year after Kroc’s death, Kurt Bevacqua, Tim Flannery, Tony Gwynn and an impressive Carmelo Martínez hammed it up in a local commercial for the restaurant chain.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 22 May 2026
That playful spirit defines the meandering nature of the entire movie, which isn’t too concerned with staying within the confines of a traditional structure or hamming up elements for mainstream appeal.
—Antonio Ferme, Variety, 15 May 2026
In 2004, the newly married pair glammed it up — and hammed it up —at the Evening Standard Film Awards.
—Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ham
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Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
In 1985, the year after Kroc’s death, Kurt Bevacqua, Tim Flannery, Tony Gwynn and an impressive Carmelo Martínez hammed it up in a local commercial for the restaurant chain.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 22 May 2026
That playful spirit defines the meandering nature of the entire movie, which isn’t too concerned with staying within the confines of a traditional structure or hamming up elements for mainstream appeal.
—Antonio Ferme, Variety, 15 May 2026
In 2004, the newly married pair glammed it up — and hammed it up —at the Evening Standard Film Awards.
—Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ham
Cite this Entry
“Ham.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ham. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ham
1 of 2 noun
1
: a buttock with its associated thigh
—usually used in plural
2
: a cut of meat consisting of a thigh
especially
: one from a hog
3
a
: an unskillful but showy performer
b
: an operator of an amateur radio station
ham
adjective
ham
2 of 2 verb
hammed; hamming
: to act with exaggerated speech or gestures
ham it up for the camera
Medical Definition
ham
noun1
: the part of the leg behind the knee : the hollow of the knee : popliteal space
2
: a buttock with its associated thigh or with the posterior part of a thigh
—usually used in plural
3
: a hock or the hinder part of a hock
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