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

Etymology

Origin of action figure

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026

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

From New York Times • May 8, 2024

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

At his booth, Gilday sold a stormtrooper action figure — still in its box — for around $10.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 23, 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