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
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.
This movie begins, as so many good ones do, with an establishing shot of the English countryside, sunlit and glorious. Marley Marius, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2025 The clip starts with an establishing shot of a home, then the camera closes in on the kitchen window, where a young woman is washing dishes at the sink. Laila Lalami, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025 However, the exterior of the building and its rooftop, sans the helipad, were used for establishing shots. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 19 Feb. 2025 The result is a season that’s more claustrophobic and frightening, but also more stunning and gorgeous to look at with both big establishing shots of this strange, cold world, endlessly wrapped in winter, and smaller more intimate shots that invite us to lean in and take a closer look. Erik Kain, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for establishing shot

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of establishing shot was in 1921

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Cite this Entry

“Establishing shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/establishing%20shot. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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