cinema

noun

ˈsi-nə-mə How to pronounce cinema (audio)
Definition of cinemanext
1
as in film
the art or business of making a movie felt that the cinema was one of the most challenging and fulfilling forms of artistic expression

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in theater
a building or part of a building where movies are shown got a job cleaning the cinemas at the multiplex

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cinema Netflix will stream a collection of 35 films from the Mexican cinema pioneer, including classics such as Pepe, El padrecito and Romeo y Julieta. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026 Allegedly, so many cinema-goers vomited and fainted during the initial screenings of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973) that theatre staff had to hand out smelling salts. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 The annual event celebrates the most influential figures working in cinema while raising support for the museum’s film collection and programming. — Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2026 The event marked the renaming of the Alamo Drafthouse Mueller cinema in Texas as the Matthew McConaughey Cinema. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cinema
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cinema
  1. film
  2. theater
  3. filmmaking
  4. playhouse
  5. movie
Noun
  • Under Binface’s black cape, trash can and ample body armor that looks straight out of a low-budget sci-fi film, is a middle-aged comedian named Jon Harvey trying to keep his cool during a sweaty summer.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • As time passes and questions remain unanswered, the film shows how grief connects, relationships change, and new perspectives emerge.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of film
Noun
  • The Invite opened in limited release on June 26 and expanded to theaters nationwide on July 10.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In a major blow to the org’s solidarity, the CEOs of the two largest theater chains, AMC’s Adam Aron and Regal’s Eduardo Acuna, are throwing their support behind the $111 billion deal.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of theater
Noun
  • While visual effects can enhance martial arts on screen, Wu argues that authentic filmmaking still depends on performance.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 25 July 2026
  • There is a romanticized version of independent filmmaking that people often imagine — a passionate artist with a great script, a group of believers, and a dream that somehow finds its way to the screen.
    — DJ Hale, IndieWire, 23 June 2026
Definition of filmmaking
Noun
  • Her Mame years kicked off with a national tour in 1965, followed by summer engagements, bus & truck tours and stops in Las Vegas, playhouses and dinner theaters.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026
  • Fearing for their lives, the kids escape the confines of Buddy’s playhouse and embark on a dangerous journey to the mythical Diamond City.
    — Mike Miller, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026
Definition of playhouse
Noun
  • Apart from the Phantasm films, Bannister played a rest home administrator in Coscarelli’s 2002 horror comedy Bubba Ho-Tep, starring Evil Dead movie franchise icon Bruce Campbell.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • None of these movies are worth buying and installing a DVD player for!
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of movie

Browse Nearby Words

cinctures
cinema
cinemas
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Cite this Entry

“Cinema.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cinema. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cinema

Nglish: Translation of cinema for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cinema

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