live-action

adjective

live-ac·​tion ˈlīv-ˈak-shən 

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

Since Sony had a Pay-1 deal with Starz in 2022, a Pay-1 release pattern for Sony’s live-action Spider-Man films on Netflix has not yet been established. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

The two-time Oscar winner never appeared in live-action as the popular vampire-hunting anti-hero, despite Marvel Studios hiring director Bassam Tariq, and later Yann Demange, to helm the film. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 31 July 2026

So far, Brand New Day has the best Rotten Tomatoes audience score out of the nine live-action Spider-Man movies with 98%. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 31 July 2026

The un-renewal means that Wonder Man, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley, will follow the path of most other live-action Marvel series on Disney+ in being one and done, either by design or via cancellation. — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for live-action

• benefaction
• counteraction
• interaction
• liquefaction
• putrefaction
• rarefaction
• satisfaction
• stupefaction
• tumefaction
• abstraction
• attraction
• compaction

Kids Definition

live-action

adjective

live-ac·​tion ˈlīv-ˈak-shən 

1

: of, relating to, or featuring cinematography that is not produced by animation

2

: done or performed live and usually in person