campy

adjective

Definition of campynext
1
as in foppish

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in jokey

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of campy Even its occasional attempts at campy tongue-in-cheekiness seldom raise more than a titter. — Arthur Knight, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026 The layout spans three levels, so a group of six can spread out without losing that communal, campy energy. — Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 24 June 2026 In his weirdest picture—the late, baroque, campy Allegory of Faith—a bug-eyed female figure is shown clutching her chest, one foot balanced perilously on a globe, while a snake gushing blood from its jaws gyrates in the foreground. — Clare Bucknell, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 This has since taken on cult classic status, but when it was released in 1999, audiences had no idea what to make of this campy satire set at a lesbian conversion therapy camp. — Staff Report, Oc Register, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for campy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for campy
  1. foppish
  2. jokey
  3. sappy
  4. playful
  5. dandyish
  6. whimsical
  7. prissy
  8. witty
Adjective
  • The first phase of Olympic ice dance was once an aristocratic affair — ruffles and frills flying as athletes performed romantic tangos, foppish quick steps and Viennese waltzes with straight backs and exaggerated posture.
    — Robert Samuels, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Speaking of styling tricks to steal, the foppish ties that almost looked like silk scarves or ribbons at the Yohji Yamamoto show would be a good alternative for women who want some kind of necktie but think a traditional men’s tie reads too costumey.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026
Definition of foppish
Adjective
  • This iteration of the show was relatively jokey.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2026
  • Where Iain was tart, Hoffman was goofy and glib, using the jokey pitch modulations of a fake talk-show host to let viewers know that the Islanders’ doings were ridiculous.
    — Anna Peele, Vulture, 20 May 2026
Definition of jokey
Adjective
  • The bicentennial was the moment of nostalgic gluttony that topped them all, with its reenactment of battles, its old-fashioned sailing ships, and its outpouring of sappy patriotic products printed with the magic numerals 76.
    — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • The announcement may come as a shock for country fans who have followed the couple through their sappy podcast appearances and gushy acceptance speeches.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2026
Definition of sappy
Adjective
  • The bar program is playful, colorful and communal — expect to see a little something for everyone.
    — Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
  • The playful exchange is the latest glimpse into the couple's famously candid relationship.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • For the magazine’s seventy-fifth anniversary, in 2000, the dog-loving portraitist William Wegman dressed up one of his Weimaraners as Eustace Tilley, our dandyish mascot, originally drawn by Rea Irvin.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of dandyish
Adjective
  • The cute dino pattern on the shorts is vibrant and whimsical, while the blouson top stays in place thanks to the extra waistband at its bottom.
    — Laurie Lyons-Makaimoku, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2026
  • The couple ultimately exchanged vows during a ceremony that transformed Madison Square Garden into what sources previously described to PEOPLE as a whimsical secret garden.
    — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of whimsical
Adjective
  • The composer shows himself a cartoonish James Bond-type, battling with his prissy critics, while also dallying with his seductive wife, who is represented in opulent violin solos.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
  • As Berenger’s prissy friend Gene, the character who transforms the most during the course of the play, Phillip Taratula changes in both body and soul.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of prissy
Adjective
  • Under Walsh’s witty direction, all four deliver pitch-perfect comedic performances in this frothy farce, which is full of mistaken identities, exaggerated infatuations and fussy social norms.
    — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
  • Just as bright, witty, and debauched as their namesake, this unique protagonist is on a path of self-discovery, gaining insight into not just their gender identity, but also their preternatural attraction to transgression and risk.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026
Definition of witty

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Cite this Entry

“Campy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/campy. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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