hammy

¹

[ ham-ee ]

adjective

, ham·mi·er, ham·mi·est.

1. resembling ham in taste, flavor, appearance, etc.

hammy

²

[ ham-ee ]

adjective

, ham·mi·er, ham·mi·est.

1. characteristic of a person who overacts.
2. overacted.
3. exaggerated.

hammy

/ ˈhæmɪ /

adjective

1. (of an actor) overacting or tending to overact
2. (of a play, performance, etc) overacted or exaggerated

Other Words From

• hammi·ly adverb
• hammi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hammy¹

First recorded in 1860–65; ham ¹ + -y ¹

Origin of hammy²

First recorded in 1925–30; ham ² + -y ¹

Example Sentences

It’s not easy when you pull a hammy just as you’re getting set to pull away from the pack.

From Seattle Times

But her cruel mother, who Berlant plays with an Irish accent even though we’re told she’s Spanish, doesn’t believe this is a suitable gift for her hammy daughter and smashes it on the floor.

From Los Angeles Times

“Anything that was hammy would stick out like a sore thumb.”

From Los Angeles Times

“I’m not sure about Artie, we got to wait to see because it’s a hammy, got to see how he does.”

From Seattle Times

“He just had a little bit of a tight hammy,’’ Carroll said of Diggs.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• abstract
• distorted
• excessive
• extravagant
• fabricated
• false
• farfetched
• hyperbolic
• inflated
• magnified
• melodramatic
• overblown
• overwrought
• preposterous
• pretentious
• stylized
• unrealistic