cutscene

noun

cut·​scene ˈkət-ˌsēn How to pronounce cutscene (audio)
variants or less commonly cut-scene or cut scene
plural cutscenes also cut-scenes or cut scenes
: a noninteractive video sequence that occurs between segments of a video game and depicts part of the game's background or storyline
Extra bits of story are delivered every two or three levels, each cutscene lasting just a few seconds and providing a further, fleeting glance at the bizarre roster of characters.Joe Martin
Excellent cinematic cutscenes are dotted throughout the game, with rebel communications and face-to-face talks giving you hints on your progress.Matthew Horan
Ninja Gaiden is also notable for being one of the first action games to have cutscenes between levels.Chris Reed
You won't encounter an explicitly relayed narrative—there are no cut-scenes or dialog text; instead, the story is uncovered through the game's lo-fi and maquette-like environments, each filled with sad, funny, and poignant details.Lewis Gordon

Examples of cutscene in a Sentence

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.
Horse girls racing in a cutscene from Umamusume: Pretty Derby. Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025 Some of the scenes – like this one with Superman laser-beaming a bunch of baddies – looks like a weird cutscene from a video game. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025 Aside from the occasional cutscene, the game asked players to kill, tirelessly, over and over. Diego Argüello, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2025 Further down the line, compression technology enabled us to have cutscenes in games. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for cutscene

Word History

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cutscene was in 1992

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Cite this Entry

“Cutscene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutscene. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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