campy

adjective

ˈkam-pē 

campier; campiest

: in the style of camp : absurdly exaggerated, artificial, or affected in a usually humorous way

campy horror movies

campy humor

Witnessing their synchronized routine, he almost expects them to break into some campy chorus line from one of the seedier nightclubs.

—Margaret Atwood

He could modify his outbursts into what were sometimes hilariously campy performances.

—Robert Gray

campily

ˈkam-pə-lē 

adverb

The new film promises to be as campily outrageous as its predecessors.

—John Stark

… the Addams Family, the campily macabre clan created by the late cartoonist Charles Addams …

—Margot Dougherty

campiness

ˈkam-pē-nəs 

noun

… hoped to take Rocketeer to a much higher level of sophistication and avoid the campiness of some of the more recent comics-inspired films.

—Ron Magid

… a power-mad despot, played with exhilarating campiness by John Malkovich.

—Steven Rebello

Examples of campy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Two oversized Adirondack chairs face a campy performance-art film that traces a path from Caribbean sugar plantations and rum production to the modern fantasy of escape marketed by Margaritaville. —Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026

Nailing the tone was always a challenge, and Black gives props to scribes Aaron and Adam Nee who were able to blend comedy with the campy barbarian beefcake world of He Man. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 3 June 2026

This new Cannon offering, filled with chintzy special effects, a ludicrous story line and campy performances, will likely bore adults but have the kiddies clamoring for more. —Jeffrey Ressner, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026

An initial flop both with critics and at the box office, Drop Dead Gorgeous has since rightfully claimed its crown as a campy cult classic. —Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

camp entry 3 + -y entry 1

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above