an·i·mat·ed
ˈa-nə-ˌmā-təd 
1
2
: having the appearance of something alive
an unusually animated piece of sculpture
3
: made in the form of an animated cartoon
an animated film
animatedly
adverb
animated
2 of 2past and past participle of animate
Did you know?
Animated cartoon characters have been "given life" by film techniques, though the animation of drawings actually goes back to handheld toys in the 1830s. A child watching the cartoon may also be animated—squealing, laughing, and jumping around—as can a crowd of hockey fans or a rock-concert audience. And the best discussions and arguments are often highly animated.
Examples of animated in a Sentence
Adjective
She gave an animated description of the project.
After dinner, the discussion got more animated.
Many movies for kids are animated rather than live-action.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 25 Apr. 2025
Fox’s rollout includes return dates for animated series like Bob’s Burgers and Family Guy, as well as premieres for reality programs including MasterChef (returning for a 15th season dubbed Dynamic Duos) and unscripted newbie The Snake, hosted by comedian Jim Jefferies.
—Rebecca Luther, TVLine, 24 Apr. 2025
Story Kitchen has a first-look TV deal at Amazon, as well as a first-look deal at DreamWorks Animation for animated film.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 22 Apr. 2025
The stirring and sensitive Runa Simi follows an indigenous Peruvian man and his young son in their ambitious quest to fully dub Disney’s animated The Lion King in their native Quechua — and, in the process, protect and rescue this disappearing Peruvian language.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for animated
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Adjective
The Looney Tunes film, featuring Forte and John Cena opposite an animated Wile E. Coyote, became the most talked about movie in Hollywood in late 2023 when The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Warner Bros. intended to scrap the movie as part of a $115 million writedown.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 25 Apr. 2025
Fox’s rollout includes return dates for animated series like Bob’s Burgers and Family Guy, as well as premieres for reality programs including MasterChef (returning for a 15th season dubbed Dynamic Duos) and unscripted newbie The Snake, hosted by comedian Jim Jefferies.
—Rebecca Luther, TVLine, 24 Apr. 2025
Story Kitchen has a first-look TV deal at Amazon, as well as a first-look deal at DreamWorks Animation for animated film.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 22 Apr. 2025
The stirring and sensitive Runa Simi follows an indigenous Peruvian man and his young son in their ambitious quest to fully dub Disney’s animated The Lion King in their native Quechua — and, in the process, protect and rescue this disappearing Peruvian language.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for animated
Cite this Entry
“Animated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/animated. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
animated
adjective
an·i·mat·ed
ˈan-ə-ˌmāt-əd
1
: full of life and energy : lively
2
: appearing to be alive or moving
3
: made in the form of an animated cartoon
an animated movie
animatedly
adverb
Medical Definition
animated
adjective
an·i·mat·ed
-ˌmāt-əd
1
: endowed with life or the qualities of life
2
: full of movement and activity
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