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
Maybe some scenes and interactions were right on the edge of scripted, and maybe Ozzy’s primal form was that of a hammy lover of the spotlight.
—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2025
The tone is maddeningly ambiguous, somewhere between stupid and serious, hammy and apocalyptic—in other words, consummate Crews.
—Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
Austin’s lush mustache and hammy Southern drawl aren’t quite in sync with the tone; Rudd seems stuck in the Ferrell version of the film.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
There’s just enough harrowing sorrow, eye-popping oddity and acting — whether good or hammy, there’s undeniably a lot of it — to make for a transfixing watch.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hammy
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2025
The tone is maddeningly ambiguous, somewhere between stupid and serious, hammy and apocalyptic—in other words, consummate Crews.
—Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
Austin’s lush mustache and hammy Southern drawl aren’t quite in sync with the tone; Rudd seems stuck in the Ferrell version of the film.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
There’s just enough harrowing sorrow, eye-popping oddity and acting — whether good or hammy, there’s undeniably a lot of it — to make for a transfixing watch.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hammy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammy
Adjective
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The Duffer Brothers set the record straight on the Stranger Things theatrical release.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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Crosswalk intends to release five to six titles annually alongside Bleecker’s traditional theatrical releases.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The performance opened with a black and white sequence, before partner Emma Slater joined him for a dramatic choreography.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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The comedy, often quite broad, is occasionally jarringly incongruous, and the dramatic stakes of the season-long arc sometimes vanish entirely.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammy. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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