stop-motion

noun

stop-mo·​tion ˈstäp-ˈmō-shən How to pronounce stop-motion (audio)
often attributive
: a filming technique in which successive positions of objects (such as clay models) are photographed to produce the appearance of movement

Examples of stop-motion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Related Stories Speaking at View Conference in Turin on Thursday, Hickel, who recently marked 30 years at ILM, detailed how the team mixed digital animation with physical sets, mechanical rigs and traditional stop-motion. — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026 For Apple, showing the stitching or the painstaking movements behind a stop-motion film makes the production process part of the advertisement. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026 This weekend, that somewhere was the BFI London Film Festival, where Carey Mulligan wore the outfit to the premiere of Wildwood, a stop-motion fantasy from the makers of Coraline, with her hair swept back behind her ears. — Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026 But what’s truly astonishing is the sheer scope of the effort involved in the gargantuan stop-motion production that involved some 200 practical puppets and 130 practical sets to bring the elaborate story to life. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stop-motion

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stop-motion was in 1912

Rhymes for stop-motion

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Browse Nearby Words

stop-loss order
stop-motion
stop net
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stop-motion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stop-motion. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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