establishing shot
noun
: a usually long shot in film or video used at the beginning of a sequence to establish an overview of the scene that follows
Examples of establishing shot in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fade in on an establishing shot of Gare du Nord in Paris (which is in France).
—
John Kenney, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Nestled between Yo’s recollections of childhood and early adulthood are establishing shots and dramatizations that, at first, can be hard to decipher as having been shot in real spaces or in Fitch’s meticulous 1/3rd scale models.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
Even the establishing shots start to evoke those time-lapse interstitials on reality shows.
—Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 30 Jan. 2026
According to reports, the Brentwood (sorry, not actually Bel-Air) mansion used for exterior establishing shots in Will Smith’s beloved 1990s sitcom is expected to hit the market for the first time in 48 years at the end of January.
—Monica Garske, USA Today, 16 Jan. 2026
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John Kenney, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Nestled between Yo’s recollections of childhood and early adulthood are establishing shots and dramatizations that, at first, can be hard to decipher as having been shot in real spaces or in Fitch’s meticulous 1/3rd scale models.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
Even the establishing shots start to evoke those time-lapse interstitials on reality shows.
—Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 30 Jan. 2026
According to reports, the Brentwood (sorry, not actually Bel-Air) mansion used for exterior establishing shots in Will Smith’s beloved 1990s sitcom is expected to hit the market for the first time in 48 years at the end of January.
—Monica Garske, USA Today, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for establishing shot
Cite this Entry
“Establishing shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/establishing%20shot. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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