as in theatrical
given to or marked by attention-getting behavior suggestive of stage acting
a hammy singer whose overwrought renditions of love songs just beg listeners to cry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 hammy
The usually very composed DiCaprio is going viral for getting playful during one of the show's commercial breaks, as he was captured laughing, smiling, and doing a very hammy impression of a person who was off camera.
—
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
The result is moving, but just a little hammy.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
Yes, the natural charisma is there, but gone are the hammy flourishes and over-the-top gags.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
Injury watch Justin Jefferson’s hammy will make its 2025 debut Monday night, and Vikings fans should not be expecting an all-world opener.
—Kevin Cusick, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hammy
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
The result is moving, but just a little hammy.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
Yes, the natural charisma is there, but gone are the hammy flourishes and over-the-top gags.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
Injury watch Justin Jefferson’s hammy will make its 2025 debut Monday night, and Vikings fans should not be expecting an all-world opener.
—Kevin Cusick, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hammy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammy
Adjective
-
The video continues to make its rounds online, with viewers debating whether the photographer’s approach was overly theatrical, or a uniquely beautiful take on documenting a wedding.—
Claire Dodds,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Her trademark covers live stage performances, theatrical productions and TV, among other things.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The change in temperatures will be dramatic after a record-setting 84 degrees on Wednesday in the Philadelphia region.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Yet key dramatic moments—a shooting, the robbers’ realization that the bank vault is empty—occurred in a hallway invisible to the audience, described secondhand.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammy. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
