animated
Americanadjective
-
full of life, action, or spirit; lively; vigorous.
an animated debate on the death penalty.
-
made or equipped to move or give the appearance of moving in an animallike fashion.
animated puppets.
-
containing representations of animals or mechanical objects that appear to move as real ones do.
an animated window display.
adjective
-
full of vivacity and spirit; lively
-
characterized by movement and activity
an animated scene met her eye
-
possessing life; animate
-
moving or appearing to move as if alive
an animated display
-
pertaining to cinematographic animation
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of animated
Explanation
Something that seems full of life and movement is said to be animated. Animated films for television and movies include cartoons, Claymation, puppets, and computer-generated images, which are all simulations of living things. The Latin animāre "give breath to" is the basis for the word animated. The business of animated films has grown with the advent of computers, but the idea of animating something began long before cartoons and CGI. In Mary Shelley's classic 19th-century novel "Frankenstein," the monster, built of dead parts, is animated by electrical impulses, an idea that "sparked" a fascination with regeneration that survives to this very day.
Vocabulary lists containing animated
Speak Your Mind: Anim
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Esperanza Rising
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vocabulary from "Community is the 'killer app' missing from virtual reality" by Dmitri Williams
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Last week, “South Park,” won an Emmy Award for outstanding animated program.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
At the time there was no Academy Award for animated features.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
A movie so bad it’s good: Niu Lai, a poorly made Chinese film about animated cows, has quickly become one of the most profitable movies of all time.
From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2026
Zach Hadel brings the bloody, madcap nature of the internet to his animated sitcom “Smiling Friends.”
From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026
She was a little more animated, smoked more, spoke more.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
