animated

American  

[an-uh-mey-tid] / ˈæn əˌmeɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. full of life, action, or spirit; lively; vigorous.

   an animated debate on the death penalty.

2. made or equipped to move or give the appearance of moving in an animallike fashion.

   animated puppets.

3. containing representations of animals or mechanical objects that appear to move as real ones do.

   an animated window display.

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animated British  

/ ˈænɪˌmeɪtɪd /

adjective

1. full of vivacity and spirit; lively

2. characterized by movement and activity

   an animated scene met her eye

3. possessing life; animate

4. moving or appearing to move as if alive

   an animated display

5. pertaining to cinematographic animation

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Other Word Forms

• animatedly adverb
• nonanimated adjective
• overanimated adjective
• overanimatedly adverb
• semianimated adjective
• unanimated adjective
• unanimatedly adverb

Etymology

Origin of animated

First recorded in 1525–35; animate + -ed ²

Example Sentences

The Santa Fe, N.M. collective is transforming an old movie theater into a maximalist wonderland, complete with animated candy at a concession stand and seats that appear to be floating.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s strange to remember that “Primal” creator Genndy Tartakovsky broke into the animated mainstream more than two decades ago with “Dexter’s Laboratory.”

From Salon

Last month a trailer dropped for “Animal Farm: A Cautionary Tail,” an animated retelling of George Orwell’s 1945 book.

From The Wall Street Journal

One was “Ne Zha 2,” a domestically produced Chinese animated film that became the highest-grossing movie in the world largely on the strength of its home market.

From MarketWatch

The first animated Moana was a huge hit, its sequel Moana 2 an even bigger one grossing more than a billion dollars at the box office.

From BBC

Related Words

• energetic
• spirited
• vivid