camp
/kæmp/
CommonAn aesthetic of deliberate exaggeration, theatricality, and ironic embrace of artifice.
Camp is always intentional. Accidental excess is kitsch or cringe. True camp is self-aware. Can describe aesthetics, people, performances, or outfits. The concept is much older than internet slang but is used casually online today.
Real-world examples3 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | that met gala look is so camp and i am obsessed | The look is theatrical, extreme, and fully committed to spectacle, which is exactly why it works. | x, 2023 |
| 02 | this movie is campy as hell but that is why it slaps | The over-the-top, unserious nature of the film is a feature, not a flaw. | |
| 03 | she wore a ten foot feathered headpiece. fully camp. love it. | The look is deliberately outrageous and self-aware, and that earns respect. | instagram, 2024 |
Use it when
- Something is completely over-the-top in a way that is the point.
- A look, performance, or piece of media leans fully into artifice and excess.
- Something is theatrical and self-aware about how theatrical it is.
Do not use it when
- Something is unintentionally bad or excessive.Use “cringe” instead.
- You mean it is merely dramatic without the self-awareness.
Variations and related forms
Camp vs kitsch
camp
Camp is self-aware excess that intends to be theatrical.
VS
kitsch
Kitsch is garish or tacky excess, usually unaware of itself.
Origin and context
Traced to early 20th century queer culture. Sontag's 1964 essay 'Notes on Camp' codified it academically. Popularized online through drag culture and the 2019 Met Gala 'Camp' theme.
- First seen
- early-20th-century
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/campUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0