Ham up Meaning in English
expression
ˈhæm/ /ˈəp
HAM-up
hˈæm/ /ˈʌp
HAM-up
Definition
To perform or behave in an exaggerated, overly dramatic way, especially in acting or for comic effect.
Usage & Nuances
Informal and often humorous. Commonly used in contexts of acting, making jokes, or playful exaggeration. Often used with 'really', as in 'really ham it up'. Not negative—implies doing it for fun or comic effect.
Spanish: exagerar (al actuar) - sobreactuarPortuguese (BR): exagerar (ao atuar) - fazer cenaPortuguese (PT): exagerar (ao atuar) - fazer fitaChinese (Simplified): 表演过火 - 夸张地表演Chinese (Traditional): 表演過火 - 誇張地表演Hindi: अति नाटकीय बनाना - ज़्यादा अभिनय करनाArabic: يبالغ في التمثيلBengali: অতিরিক্ত নাটকীয়ভাবে অভিনয় করাRussian: переигрывать (в актёрстве) - слишком громко игратьJapanese: 大げさに演技するVietnamese: diễn quá lốKorean: 과장되게 연기하다Turkish: aşırı rol yapmak - abartılı oynamakUrdu: ضرورت سے زیادہ اداکاری کرناIndonesian: berakting berlebihan
Example Sentences
He likes to ham up his stories to make people laugh.
basic
The actor hammed up his character in the play.
basic
Don't ham up during your presentation.
basic
She really hams it up whenever there’s a camera around.
natural
He decided to ham up his accent to make the character funnier.
natural
If you ham it up too much, nobody will take you seriously.
natural