noun / verb
ham
Exaggerated theatrical performing.
The actors ham it up whenever the villain enters the room.
Etymology
Ham is commonly traced to hamfatter. Theatrical exaggeration became central to the shortened label; hamfatter's original motivation is uncertain.
More examples
- The director wants less ham and more honest emotion.
- He hammed it up for the camera.
- She keeps hamming it up during rehearsals.
Forms
ham · hams · hammed · hamming
hammy adjective — Exaggerated or overly theatrical in performance.
Similar words
- overacting
- Directly names excessive acting; ham often suggests comic excess.
- theatrics
- Also covers dramatic behavior outside an actual performance.