live-action

adjective

live-ac·​tion ˈlīv-ˈak-shən How to pronounce live-action (audio)
variants or less commonly live action
1
: of, relating to, or featuring cinematography that is not produced by animation
a live-action film
2
: done or performed live and usually in person
a live-action performance
live-action role-playing games

Examples of live-action in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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From Newmar to Berry to Kravitz, take a look back at the stars who have played live-action iterations of the fan-favorite comic character Catwoman. Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026 The role will be Madonna's first major live-action performance in a significant production in 24 years, following the release of the film Swept Away in 2002. Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 29 May 2026 Animators Ri Crawford and David Lauer needed to be super precise about facial structures and mouth movements, especially, so that the stop-motion felt distinct but not too disconnected from the live-action work. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 28 May 2026 The film’s premiere at Tribeca marks the first full-length, live-action film generated by AI to be accepted by a major film festival, according to Fountain 0. Corbin Bolies, Variety, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for live-action

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of live-action was in 1936

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Cite this Entry

“Live-action.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live-action. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

live-action

adjective
live-ac·​tion ˈlīv-ˈak-shən How to pronounce live-action (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or featuring cinematography that is not produced by animation
2
: done or performed live and usually in person
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