special effects
Britishplural noun
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.
Yellowstone elevated television to a new level, and did so without special effects or CGI, but instead via a combination of compelling story, strong writing and acting, and cinematography that rivaled that of movies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
Developing longer stories with less money, the TV shows makers need to be inventive, creative with their resources, so they invest in characters and ideas rather than special effects and action.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026
In contrast, working on Mercy was "like a long performance of a two or three-act stage play", but "with special effects on a par with any of the great big blockbusters".
From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026
Blame the 2023 Hollywood strikes along with the reality that big fantasy projects take considerably more time to shoot given the elaborate sets, costumes and special effects required.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026
The acting was pretty lame and the special effects were cheesy, so Curly fast-forwarded to the end of the tape.
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
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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.