Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Marked or characterized by overacting; affectedly humorous or dramatic.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Resembling ham.
  • adjective Amateurish; characterized by overacting.
  • noun US, Australia, New Zealand, slang Short for hamstring; a hamstring injury.
  • noun informal, childish A hamster.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective affectedly dramatic; overacted

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Derived from ham.

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Examples

  • Some fun can be found in hammy supporting performances by Paul Bettany as the oleaginous Prime Minister Lord Melbourne and Jim Broadbent (sporting an absurd white wig) as the dying King William, Victoria’s predecessor.

    Current Movie Reviews, Independent Movies - Film Threat 2009

  • Paul Staines aka hammy blogger Guido Fawkes aka Mr GuF has invented a piggy index for politicians.

    Archive 2008-02-10 2008

  • Paul Staines aka hammy blogger Guido Fawkes aka Mr GuF has invented a piggy index for politicians.

    David Davis Sleaze Allegations: GuF Brings Home Bacon 2008

  • If you tweak a hammy, which I have many times, pushing it only increases the chance of pulling it.

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2010

  • If you tweak a hammy, which I have many times, pushing it only increases the chance of pulling it.

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2010

  • If you tweak a hammy, which I have many times, pushing it only increases the chance of pulling it.

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2010

  • The arguable brilliance of the casting choices comes from having so many comic actors and comedians cast as those straight men, avoiding any kind of hammy portrayals and giving entirely sincere performances.

    Rabid Rewind: The Informant 2010

  • The scene where the venom symbiote comes to earth was just "hammy".

    Has Christopher Nolan Signed On For Dark Knight Sequel? | /Film 2008

  • At some point everybody becomes a bit housebound, and at such times its nice to know that while the serial nature of the soap opera makes the acting seem quite "hammy", at least the scenery is worth checking out.

    "Gal" Friday! Melissa Archer Chuck Wells 2008

  • At some point everybody becomes a bit housebound, and at such times its nice to know that while the serial nature of the soap opera makes the acting seem quite "hammy", at least the scenery is worth checking out.

    Archive 2008-06-01 Chuck Wells 2008

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