action figure

American  

noun

1. a toy figure with jointed, movable limbs, representing a character in a cartoon, movie, etc., or a real person or animal, often one known for exciting action or extraordinary powers.

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action figure British  

noun

1. a small figure of a character from a film, television programme, comic book etc, designed as a toy and often collected by enthusiasts

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Etymology

Origin of action figure

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

His predictions sound like something from the 1996 comedy “Jingle All the Way,” in which Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a dad desperately trying to find a sought-after action figure for his son after stores sell out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 7, 2025

Fail to buy the latest cuddly toy or collectable action figure and there will be tears and tantrums - and that's just the grown-ups.

From BBC • Jan. 27, 2024

“An actor is what he looks like,” Sylvester Stallone told The New York Times in 1976, and more than most stars, Stallone has been viewed as an action figure come to life.

From New York Times • Nov. 2, 2023

I think once he started having money and traveling, you're in Arizona and you see an Evel Knievel action figure at a thrift store, you're going to buy it.

From Salon • Aug. 10, 2023

Shoto’s robot looked like an action figure next to Sorrento’s massive metal dragon.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline