hammy

Hammy is an informal term with several related meanings.

As an adjective, hammy describes performances or expressions that are exaggerated, theatrical, or melodramatic, often perceived as lacking subtlety. A hammy delivery might involve exaggerated gestures, a booming voice, or overemphatic facial expressions.

As a noun, hammy can refer to a person who overacts—a ham—or, more generally, to a performer who relies on showy, self-indulgent acting rather than a nuanced portrayal.

In sports and medical slang, hammy is short for hamstring. A hammy injury refers to a strain or tear of the hamstring muscles, commonly described in professional and amateur sports as “pulling a hammy.” The term also appears in casual speech as “my hammy,” or “the hammy went out.”

Etymology: The word derives from ham, in the sense of overacting; the phrase “ham it up” is related and dates back to the 19th century.

Usage: The term is mostly informal and can be pejorative when describing acting, though some performers embrace a self-aware, hammy persona. In sports reporting, hammy is neutral-to-negative as shorthand for a hamstring injury.

See also: ham, hamstring, ham actor, overacting.