live-action
Americanadjective
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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.
-
Informal. live.
Other Word 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.
Both have been turned into disappointing live-action films before.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
The launch is part of celebrations marking Zelda's 40th anniversary, alongside a global concert tour and a live-action film hitting cinemas next spring.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Dave Green directs this live-action and animation hybrid based on Ian Frazier’s 1990 humor piece for the New Yorker, featuring performances from Will Forte, John Cena and Lana Condor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Dave Bautista will take over as the lead in the Amazon Prime live-action TV series based on the widely revered video game franchise of the same name.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
“LARP. It stands for live-action role-playing,” Elena explains.
From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks
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