on-screen

adverb or adjective

variants or onscreen
1
: in a motion picture or a television program
But the makers of the 1958 movie understood that this most subtle of writers was telling a tale about the froth of life, and they celebrated it on-screen with gusto.Gerald Asher
The sixth-grader reportedly earned $1 million for starring in the upcoming My Girl, which pairs him with Anna Chlumsky for his first onscreen kiss.Alexander Tresniowski
2
: on a computer or television screen
You can watch a football game, see a small icon onscreen offering player statistics, click it with the remote, and view the stats.Edward W. Desmond
… handheld joysticks and gamepads that jolt and jar with the on-screen action.Leigh Gallagher

Examples of on-screen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The actor’s custom Gucci suit, along with the outfits worn by his background dancers and fellow Kens — Scott Evans, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Ncuti Gatwa — appeared to be nods to one of Monroe’s most iconic on-screen moments. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 On social media, students and parents reported other glitches, including math answers that seemed incorrect and frozen on-screen calculations. Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024 In fact, most studios stage-managed their contract players’ public images, dressing them on-screen and off. Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2024 Still, the actor’s dedication is clear, as seen in his on-screen cooking chops after studying in real kitchens for the role. Eric Farwell, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2024 Frank dialogue and silence mingle on-screen, accomplishing a wistful rendition of Roca’s broadly engaging work. Holly Jones, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 Select the Welcome Bonus and follow the on-screen instructions. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 Josh Simon Title: Vice President, Consumer Products Year joined Netflix: 2020 Netflix Josh Simon leads Netflix’s efforts to extend its on-screen hits to the real world, from retail shelves to live events. Rachyl Jones, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2024 And similar patterns ensued after the first two seasons were released, bolstering a viral trend referred to as ‘set-jetting’ where travelers choose a locale inspired by their favorite on-screen destinations. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on-screen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of on-screen was in 1929

Dictionary Entries Near on-screen

Cite this Entry

“On-screen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on-screen. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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