action figure

American  

noun

• action figures
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• action figures
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of action figure

First recorded in 1920–25

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

action figure

New toy: Buzz Lightyear, an action figure convinced he’s a real space hero.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026

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

Walter Emanuel Jones, who played the original Black Ranger Zack Taylor, said he was recognized as the character a week before the show premiered when a child, who had purchased his action figure, recognized him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2023

He quickly put away the Bowser action figure he’d been inspecting and followed Michael.

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly

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