special effect
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of special effect
First recorded in 1940–45
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Using AI is effectively just another special effect like CGI. And as shown, Scorsese is not adverse to such technological advancements," wrote one user.
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
A scene in which Bill taps his glass eye with a knife was not some special effect.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
If we are up close, we can use macro lenses and can slow things down, that could be a very special effect.
From Salon • Jan. 9, 2025
Sofia’s increasingly impactful fashion statements are almost their own kind of special effect.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 27, 2024
“That’s not right! It can’t be real! It’s a special effect or something, right? I mean, I can deal with little monsters with axes and blue fire tunnels and everything, but that’s not right!”
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
