special effects

British

plural noun

films techniques used in the production of scenes that cannot be achieved by normal techniques

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

The device was made at Pinewood studios by special effects engineers who won an Oscar for 1917 and who work on Star Wars, James Bond and Mission Impossible.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

But “Is God Is” refuses to gussy up its allegories with too many special effects or gratuitous gore.

From Salon • May 19, 2026

Remember that 1966 sci-fi movie “Fantastic Voyage,” set inside a human body, the special effects groundbreaking though still analogue?

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

Earlier this month, the organization hosted a seminar with special effects makeup artist Veniesa Dillon on sculpting techniques and prosthetic application.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

I’m not talking about their contribution to the world of special effects.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023