animation

12 synonyms and 2 antonyms for animation, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — The technique of creating the illusion of movement from a sequence of still images, drawings, or models, or a work made this way.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

energy life living

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

cartoon vitality

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

liveliness vivacity spiritedness exuberance brio aliveness invigoration

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

The technique of creating the illusion of movement from a sequence of still images, drawings, or models, or a work made this way.

“My little brother loves watching an animation about a talking train every evening.”

liveliness vivacity energy spiritedness exuberance cartoon life vitality brio aliveness invigoration living

2. noun

Liveliness, energy, or enthusiasm in speech or manner.

“The children chatted with great animation about their trip to the zoo.”

Opposites

inertness spiritlessness

How to use animation

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

2D animation computer animation full of animation

Etymology

From Latin animatio, "a bringing to life," from animare ("to animate"), rooted in anima ("breath, soul").

Full origin of animation →

Frequently asked questions

What does “animation” mean?

The word “animation” means the technique of creating the illusion of movement from a sequence of still images, drawings, or models, or a work made this way. In plain terms, bringing still images to life as moving pictures — or, more generally, liveliness.

How do you pronounce “animation”?

“Animation” is pronounced an-ih-MAY-shuhn (/ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/ in IPA).

How do you use “animation” in a sentence?

Here is “animation” used in a sentence: “The studio spent three years on the animation for the movie.”

What part of speech is “animation”?

“Animation” is a noun.

Where does the word “animation” come from?

The word “animation” comes from Latin. From Latin animatio, "a bringing to life," from animare ("to animate"), rooted in anima ("breath, soul").

Is “animation” a common word?

“Animation” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “animation” have?

“Animation” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the technique of creating the illusion of movement from a sequence of still images, drawings, or models, or a work made this way.

What is the difference between "animation" and "cartoon"?

"Animation" is the technique of creating the illusion of movement from a sequence of still images, drawings, or models, or a work made this way. A "cartoon" is one style or type of animated or drawn content, often humorous, so animation is the broader process and a cartoon is one kind of result.

What are common collocations with the word "animation"?

In its visual sense, "animation" pairs with words like "computer animation," "stop-motion animation," "an animation studio," and "3D animation." In its liveliness sense, it appears in phrases such as "with animation" and "a face full of animation."

People also searched

life living energy cartoon vitality spiritedness vivacity exuberance spiritlessness inertness liveliness

Nearby words

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