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
Who has played live-action Spider-Man in the past?
—
Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 23 May 2026
If that galaxy is far, far away from your mind, there are plenty of other things to watch this Memorial Day weekend, like a new flick from Boots Riley, his first since Sorry to Bother You; Nicolas Cage back as Spider-Noir (in live-action this time); and double the Brides on streaming.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 22 May 2026
This year’s showcase will feature films from both undergraduate and graduate film programs across the country and includes 10 short live-action films selected from a wide range of genres, tones, and perspectives.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 22 May 2026
Advertisement What excited you about playing Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln in the Bardo, the upcoming part-live-action, part-stop-motion film based on the George Saunders novel?
—Katie Sanders, Time, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for live-action
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.
Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 23 May 2026
If that galaxy is far, far away from your mind, there are plenty of other things to watch this Memorial Day weekend, like a new flick from Boots Riley, his first since Sorry to Bother You; Nicolas Cage back as Spider-Noir (in live-action this time); and double the Brides on streaming.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 22 May 2026
This year’s showcase will feature films from both undergraduate and graduate film programs across the country and includes 10 short live-action films selected from a wide range of genres, tones, and perspectives.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 22 May 2026
Advertisement What excited you about playing Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln in the Bardo, the upcoming part-live-action, part-stop-motion film based on the George Saunders novel?
—Katie Sanders, Time, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for live-action
Cite this Entry
“Live-action.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live-action. Accessed 27 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
