# ham up

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ham-up
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to act in an exaggerated way to make people notice you or to make a performance more dramatic. You use this when someone is being too theatrical or silly.

For teachers: to overact or exaggerate a performance or emotion for dramatic or comedic effect; often used transitively with a direct object like 'it' or a specific role.

## Examples

- He likes to ham up his accent to make us laugh.
- The lead actor decided to ham up his death scene, making the audience giggle instead of cry.
- Although the script was quite serious, the supporting cast chose to ham up their performances, turning the historical drama into something closer to a farce.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He hams up it for the camera." but "He hams it up for the camera." — when using the pronoun 'it', it must go between the verb and the particle in this specific idiomatic usage.

## Usage notes

- often used with 'it' as a dummy object ('ham it up') or with a specific behavior as the object.
- Teaching tip: the term likely comes from 'hamfatter,' an old slang term for a low-quality actor; it is useful for discussing performance, storytelling, and social exaggeration.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.