motion picture

noun

Definition of motion picturenext
as in movie
a story told by means of a series of continuously projected pictures and a sound track a popular novel that was made into a major motion picture

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 motion picture Eligible for both the theatrical motion picture award and the documentary prize. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026 Slater brings more than two decades of experience across film financing, producing, content rights, and worldwide distribution, with his 150 motion picture credits including recent productions The Optimist, Bella, and Lunar Colony. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026 Eva Marie Saint, the ethereal beauty who won the best supporting actress Oscar for her work in her first motion picture, On the Waterfront, then dazzled audiences as a double agent in North by Northwest, died Tuesday. — Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026 Bestselling author Colleen Hoover is on a high right now, with her 2018 novel Verity recently adapted into a major motion picture starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett. — Emma Specter, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for motion picture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motion picture
  1. movie
  2. moving picture
  3. film
  4. documentary
Noun
  • In a generation of heartbreakers, Ne-Yo became a living embodiment of the movie What Women Want.
    — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
  • However, this movie carries a hefty $100 million price tag (stop-motion animation is labor-intensive and takes years to produce) and likely won’t turn a theatrical profit.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of movie
Noun
  • Or if the weather fails to cooperate, a moving picture show may be in order.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Many of the stories, interviews and analyses Jake Tapper presents to his followers on CNN rely heavily on moving pictures, courtesy of his employer.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of moving picture
Noun
  • The film itself is non-linear and does not have a voiceover, both of which were unusual choices for the time.
    — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The actor’s more recent film credits include Tim Burton’s 2019 Dumbo remake and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).
    — Kelly Martinez, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of film
Noun
  • The documentary premiered on the BBC first, which is how American embassy workers and journalists based in the UK got a look at the film — and started grumbling.
    — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Under this new ordinance, student filmmakers, documentary crews and ultra-low-budget projects will be able to obtain free permits.
    — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of documentary

Browse Nearby Words

motionlessness
motion picture
motion pictures
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Motion picture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motion%20picture. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on motion picture

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about motion picture

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of reticent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All