1. past tense of ham; to overact or perform in an exaggerated, theatrical manner
Usage: informal; often used with 'up'
2. past tense of ham; to transmit or communicate via amateur radio
Usage: informal; radio/telecommunications context

Examples

• The actor hammed up his performance so much that the audience laughed at all the wrong moments.
• She hammed it up during the school play, making exaggerated gestures that delighted the crowd.
• He hammed his lines with such obvious overacting that even the director had to smile.
• The comedian hammed through the entire sketch, playing every moment for maximum effect.
• They hammed on the radio frequency all evening, chatting with other amateur operators.