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
Cohen’s interpretation of Regina George may have been a lot hammier than Rachel McAdams, but Chabert and Lohan had basically the exact same inflection in their voices as in the original.
—
Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 21 Nov. 2024
Every actor’s Hamlet is theirs and theirs alone, and Olivier’s is big and hammy and searing and often quite devastating.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
More emotional scenes, however, feel hammy and didactic, heavy on the telling over the showing (and that telling hinges on being damn blunt about the whole thing, to boot).
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 19 Feb. 2025
What that translates to, though, is a lot of intentionally hammy line deliveries and overaffected actions.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hammy
Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 21 Nov. 2024
Every actor’s Hamlet is theirs and theirs alone, and Olivier’s is big and hammy and searing and often quite devastating.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
More emotional scenes, however, feel hammy and didactic, heavy on the telling over the showing (and that telling hinges on being damn blunt about the whole thing, to boot).
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 19 Feb. 2025
What that translates to, though, is a lot of intentionally hammy line deliveries and overaffected actions.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hammy
Cite this Entry
“Hammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammy. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share