1
: of, relating to, suggestive of, or suitable for movies or the filming of movies
cinematic principles and techniques
cinematic special effects
2
: filmed and presented as a movie
cinematic fantasies
a cinematic adaptation of a novel

Examples of cinematic in a Sentence

a director who has produced some great cinematic moments
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Don’t expect cinematic mega-floods or massive storms happening simultaneously all around the world every day for the next year. Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 The new Marvel super-hero film had strong word-of-mouth; a highly visible cast, with stars who also appeared in 'The Odyssey;' integration with the rest of the Marvel cinematic universe; and strategic timing. David Deal, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Despite this, some pundits have theorized that Netflix’s aversion to theaters has hurt its films’ chances because the industry sees the company as a force for evil in the cinematic space. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2026 More of a backdoor pilot for future MCU installments than a coherent movie in and of itself, the weakest Captain America film showcases the limits of the Russo brothers’ cinematic style. Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cinematic

Word History

Etymology

see cinema

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cinematic was in 1912

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cinematic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinematic. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on cinematic

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster