campy

IPA/ˈkæmpi/
KK[kˈæmpi]IPA/ˈkæmpi/

campy — adjective

  • campypositive
  • campiercomparative
  • campiestsuperlative

1. Something that is campy, such as a film, a performance, or an outfit, is deliber

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

Something that is campy, such as a film, a performance, or an outfit, is deliberately exaggerated or artificial in a playful way that people find amusing.

Example

Nora's vampire costume was wonderfully campy, with a red velvet cape and glittering fake fangs.

collocation: campy costume / campy outfit

The director gave the horror movie a campy style, with fake blood and exaggerated acting.

collocation: campy style

Common collocations
  • campy movie
  • campy style
  • campy costume
  • campy dialogue
  • campy horror
  • campy musical
  • intentionally campy
  • deliberately campy
  • wonderfully campy
Synonyms
  • kitsch

    Kitsch focuses on objects/art that are considered tasteless or sentimental; campy emphasizes the playful, intentional exaggeration.

  • cheesy

    Cheesy is more negative and suggests something is cheap or of low quality; campy carries a more affectionate, knowingly humorous tone.

  • over-the-top

    Over-the-top describes any exaggerated behavior or style, without the specific humorous or ironic intention implied by campy.

  • theatrical

    Theatrical refers to dramatic, showy behavior but does not necessarily carry the kitsch or humorous quality of campy.

Antonyms
  • subtle

    Subtle means delicate and understated, the opposite of campy's bold, exaggerated quality.

  • understated

    Understated describes a restrained, modest style, directly contrasting with campy's deliberately showy nature.

Grammar Patterns

a campy + noun

be + campy

Usage Note

Commonly used to describe movies, TV shows, theatre productions, fashion, and interior decoration that embrace an exaggerated, artificial aesthetic for humorous effect.

Common Mistakes

That movie was so campy and serious at the same time.
That movie was so campy and over-the-top at the same time.
Campy already implies exaggeration; pairing it with 'serious' creates a contradiction unless the tone is mixed on purpose.
The campy decorations were ugly and not funny.
The campy decorations were deliberately tacky and meant to be funny.
Campy describes something intentionally exaggerated for amusement, not simply bad-looking.

Word family

  • camp
    nounC1
  • camp
    adjectiveC1
  • campiness
    nounC2
  • campily
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Campy, kitsch, cheesy, over-the-top, and theatrical all describe something exaggerated or showy, but they differ in intention and connotation. Campy specifically implies a knowing, playful exaggeration meant to amuse — the creator is in on the joke. Kitsch refers to objects or art considered sentimental or tasteless, often unintentionally so. Cheesy carries a more critical tone, suggesting something is cheap or poorly made. Over-the-top describes any extreme behavior or style, without the ironic humour of campy. Theatrical focuses on dramatic, performative expression, not necessarily humorous. For example, a low-budget 1960s monster movie might be called campy if its ridiculous special effects are knowingly funny, while a porcelain figurine of a crying clown would be called kitsch.

kitsch ↗cheesy ↗over-the-top ↗theatrical ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in a campy way
  • a campy version of

Etymology

FrenchItalianEnglish

Campy comes from the word camp, which has been used since the early 1900s in theatrical slang to describe exaggerated, theatrical behaviour. The origin of camp is uncertain — it may come from the French se camper, meaning 'to strike a bold pose', or from Italian campeggiare, meaning 'to stand out' or 'to be prominent'. The term gained wider recognition in the 1960s after Susan Sontag's influential essay Notes on Camp, which defined camp as a love of the exaggerated and the artificial.

First known use

1932

1932, in the meaning defined above