animation

American  

[an-uh-mey-shuhn] / ˌæn əˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

• animations
  plural

1. animated quality; liveliness; vivacity; spirit.

   to talk with animation.

   Synonyms:

   sprightliness, exhilaration, ardor, enthusiasm, energy, vigor

   Antonyms:

   sluggishness

2. an act or instance of animating or enlivening.

3. the state or condition of being animated.

4. Graphic Arts

   1. a dynamic visual medium produced from static drawings, models, or objects posed in a series of incremental movements that are then rapidly sequenced to give the illusion of lifelike motion.

   2. the process of preparing such animation, as for films, cartoons, video games, etc.

   3. a product of such animation, as a film or cartoon.

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animation British  

/ ˌænɪˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. liveliness; vivacity

2. the condition of being alive

3. 1. the techniques used in the production of animated cartoons

   2. a variant of animated cartoon

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interanimation
  noun
• nonanimation
  noun
• overanimation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• animations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of animation

1590–1600; 1910–15 animation for def. 4; (< Middle French ) < Latin animātiōn- (stem of animātiō a bestowing of life). See animate, -ion

Explanation

Animation is the state of being full of life and energy, like a room full of excited kids at a birthday party. You're sure to get more people excited about your idea if you speak with animation, or liveliness, in your voice. If your face has animation, the expression in your eyes and the shape of your mouth accent what you say. As it applies to film making, animation refers to bringing something flat and unmoving, like a drawing, to life.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

animation animations

He voiced depressive donkey Eeyore in TV animation The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh from the late 1980s as well as numerous related shows, films and games.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Cinematographer Brandon Trost does an incredible job blending classic 2D animation into drab law offices and conference rooms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

“I’m not on the front lines of what’s going on in animation, but every day there’s a headline. ... It’s crazy what’s going on right now but we’re doing what we can.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

The company has made a big bet on Japanese animation known as anime, a wellspring of pop-culture hits such as “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

They were paintings about suspended animation; about waiting, about objects not in use.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

As this technology developed, the photographs became more detailed and the animations swifter and smoother.

From Slate ● May 25, 2026

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” is the latest film to be given the Cosm treatment, in which supplemental animations seek to envelop guests.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026

James O'Donoghue, from the University of Reading, has produced more than 100 educational animations on space, which have been viewed more than 400 million times around the world.

From BBC ● May 10, 2026

National regulations require microdrama makers to register to obtain a licence -- a step made mandatory for AI-generated animations from this month.

From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026

The only thing that makes me feel better is thinking about Ray’s animations.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko