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

The event will include campy holiday classic songs, costumes, humor and decor. —Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025

For the beloved, campy series' fifth season, Lily Collins' titular character is traveling to Italy. —Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 2025

This campy sequel to The Addams Family features an all-star cast that includes Anjelica Huston, Joan Cusack, and Christopher Lloyd bringing a satirical twist to the traditional Thanksgiving narrative. —Erica Jackson Curran, Parents, 27 Nov. 2025

The campy action comedy follows two train stewardesses who upgrade their shifts from the Stank Rail to the luxurious Glamazonian Express. —Andrew McGowan, Variety, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

camp entry 3 + -y entry 1

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above