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

But he's concerned action figure commissions could soon dry up, as well as the public perception of his work, from thousands of AI images mimicking his passion.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2025

A smattering of Ace Ventura and a lot of those ’80s action figure guys.

From New York Times • May 8, 2024

Under the alter ego, she shrinks to action figure size and makes funny videos.

From Salon • Sep. 29, 2023

And with a flourish, I pulled his favorite Rescue Heroes action figure out of his bag.

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick