live-action
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to movies, videos, and the like, that feature real performers, as distinguished from animation.
A new live-action version of the classic animated film will be released later this year.
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Informal. live.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of live-action
First recorded in 1955–60
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.
Much like the first live-action film around the popular 1980s toyline, the new “Masters of the Universe” features a couple of post-credits scenes that tease what could come in the franchise’s future.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
The live-action series is based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir, telling the story of Ben Reilly - a hardened private investigator in 1930s New York, played by Nicolas Cage.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
Those curious about the backstory of Zeb Orrelios, who first appeared in live-action among other former Rebellion fighters at the Adelphi base in “The Mandalorian” Season 3 Episode 5, should check out “Star Wars Rebels.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
Their conversation was exactly what screenwriter Craig Mazin hoped to accomplish with the film, a hybrid of live-action and CGI.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
“LARP. It stands for live-action role-playing,” Elena explains.
From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks
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.
