First recorded in 1985–90; from Japanese, borrowing of English animation ( def. )
How does anime compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The 34-year-old self-proclaimed anime and manga fanatic told the BBC she felt compelled to take action.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
A backlash is growing in Japan over US President Donald Trump's use of popular anime and manga characters in his posts on social media.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
And her explanation of why she loves anime is very similar to the philosophies that drew RZA to kung fu movies and, eventually, Asian philosophies and martial arts.
From Salon • May 31, 2026
After decades on the fringes of pop culture in the West, anime has become one of Hollywood’s hottest businesses.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
Her jaw dropped open in such dramatic fashion that, for a second, she looked like an anime character.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
