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
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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
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Emily brought her dramatic energy to the shows, thrashing her skinny way through the crowds in her surrealist thrift-store getups, crowd-surfing and stage diving and taking elbows to the face with theatrical aplomb.—
Andrew Martin,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
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Yamazaki, who won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for his work on Godzilla Minus One, will introduce the footage in a special appearance highlighting the global reach of theatrical filmmaking.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The board made the decision after roughly seven hours of deliberations spanning two days, the latest dramatic turn for the nation’s second-largest school district, which has been navigating budget reductions and labor negotiations even before this week’s federal action.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
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On Tuesday, the Chieftains completed the job and did so in dramatic fashion.—
Matt Roy,
Boston Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammy. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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