cinematic

American

[sin-uh-mat-ik] / ˌsɪn əˈmæt ɪk /

adjective

having to do with movies, as either an industry or an art form.

The book explores Andy Warhol's cinematic work, focusing on ten films in detail.
(of a movie) showing a high level of artistry; grand and visually impressive.

This film is filled with sweeping, cinematic shots of the surrounding countryside, to the point where the setting almost becomes a third character.
having qualities or using techniques associated with good movies, such as drama, emotional intensity, visual or sonic artistry, epic narrative, etc..

Poetic and strikingly cinematic, her exquisitely written novel illuminates the strange tightrope we are all walking in the radically altered landscape post-9/11.

noun

(in a video game) a short video or scripted event scene between stages of interactive play, often to introduce a new level, develop a character, or advance the plot.

This year's NHL game has a lot of the same animations, cinematics between faceoffs, commentary tracks, and graphics.

Other Word Forms

cinematically adverb
uncinematic adjective

Etymology

Origin of cinematic

cinemat(ograph) ( def. ) + -ic

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 chariot race scene is one of the most iconic in cinematic history, and took over a year to plan and film.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

It produces movies intended for big cinematic releases, such as Top Gun: Maverick and the Transformers series.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

Doncic hit daring fadeaway three-pointers, threw sky-high lobs to teammates and nailed a dramatic winning shot against the Nuggets at home to add cinematic highlights to his budding most valuable player case.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

The film is, however, highly watchable, and that aspect is key to its importance within the larger cinematic landscape.

From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026

To Colin's mind, the rooster crowing at dawn was nothing more than a literary and cinematic trope.

From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green

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