: a type of crime film featuring cynical malevolent characters in a sleazy setting and an ominous atmosphere that is conveyed by shadowy photography and foreboding background music
also
: a film of this type
Examples of film noir in a Sentence
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By contrast, the skeletal Scherzinger transformed Sunset Blvd.’s movieland horror story into a film noir Hollywood Babylon.
—
Armond White, National Review, 13 June 2025
The episode originally featured temp music from composers like Jerry Goldsmith, taking inspiration from classic film noir scores.
—Matt Minton, Variety, 21 May 2025
Clearly not every crime film from that period is a film noir, but there’s an argument that’s been made that every film noir is a crime film in some way.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 7 May 2025
He’s watched every Japanese film, and he’s watched every film noir, and he’s watched everything pre-1975, he’s watched everything.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for film noir
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Armond White, National Review, 13 June 2025
The episode originally featured temp music from composers like Jerry Goldsmith, taking inspiration from classic film noir scores.
—Matt Minton, Variety, 21 May 2025
Clearly not every crime film from that period is a film noir, but there’s an argument that’s been made that every film noir is a crime film in some way.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 7 May 2025
He’s watched every Japanese film, and he’s watched every film noir, and he’s watched everything pre-1975, he’s watched everything.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for film noir
Cite this Entry
“Film noir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/film%20noir. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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