camp it up
B2 informal intransitive
In simple words
To act in a very over-the-top, dramatic, and showy way on purpose.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
informal
To perform or behave in an exaggeratedly theatrical, flamboyant, or self-consciously artificial manner for comic or dramatic effect.
"The pantomime villain really camped it up, and the audience loved every minute of it."
"He camped it up outrageously, winking at the camera and swishing his cape."
— Commonly used phrasing in British theater/film reviews; representative of widespread critical usage in publications such as The Guardian and The Times.
Usage notes
Derived from the noun/adjective 'camp', referring to an aesthetic of exaggerated, ironic theatricality. Common in theater, film, and LGBTQ+ cultural contexts. Usually playful or affectionate in tone.
Commonly used with
actor performance stage villain audience role
Forms
Base
camp it up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
camps it up
he/she/it
Past simple
camped it up
yesterday
Past participle
camped it up
have + pp
-ing form
camping it up
continuous
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