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 That misconceived rogue-robot sequel to the campy 2022 treat diluted the original’s cheeky horror comedy by overloading on messy espionage elements. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026 Gucci’s Qixi campaign was inspired by the campy theatricality of online microdramas, now a billion-dollar business. — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 28 July 2026 The vampire saved the show from imminent cancelation, prompting a spike in ratings and a new direction away from a moody Jane Eyre-like gothic romance style to outright supernatural (if unintentionally campy) horror. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 18 July 2026 The actor has a great sense of humor about his one-off performance as the Caped Crusader in Batman & Robin, a notorious flop that has since become something of a campy millennial touchstone. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 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
  • Most of the players immediately adopt exaggerated foppish courtier characters, complete with hoity-toity accents and hyperbolic graciousness.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of foppish
Adjective
  • Their jokey interactions provide the episode with its comic highlight.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The film is chock-full of nods and references and jokey Looney Tunes Easter eggs.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 Aug. 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
  • Johnson, who previously hosted SNL in 2015 and again in 2020, appears in a playful new promo with the five-piece Baltimore hardcore band and comedian Ben Marshall.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Major brands including BaubleBar and Crocs are putting their own spin on football fandom with playful collaborations and unexpected finds.
    — Casey DelBasso, ABC News, 2 Oct. 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 Empress has also started a whimsical bar version of their famous tea, called Sunset Sips, where cocktails (and mocktails) are served in glass teapots and teacups in the evenings, along with tiers of tapas.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • This whimsical style, along with a pointed-toe mule silhouette, was elevated by a slanted stiletto heel with an angular, brightly colored cap grounding it.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 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
  • The messages on Resurrection Lutheran Church's sign range from witty to practical to profound.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Still, the dialogue can be witty, and the conflicts, whether racial, sexist or classist, are mildly amusing.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of witty

Browse Nearby Words

campuses
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Cite this Entry

“Campy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/campy. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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