pixelated

adjective

pix·e·lat·ed ˈpik-sə-ˌlā-təd

of an image

: displayed in such a manner that individual pixels are discernible

Did you know?

Is it pixelated or pixilated?

Pixelated is used to describe digital images in which individual pixels are discernable, as when you look closely at a large photo and can see the tiny dots that make up the image. Pixilated (coined from pixie, a pixie being a cheerful, mischievous sprite) is usually used to describe things considered whimsical, or people who seem dazed or lost in thought. While pixelated is a late 20th century coinage, pixilated has been in use since the mid-19th century.

Examples of pixelated 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.

Tens of thousands, sometimes millions, of fans logged on to watch the pixelated show. —

Bryan West, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2025 The computers on the show are functional, so when Mark and Helly are moving pixelated numbers around on a screen, that’s something the performers are doing on set. —

Andrew Webster, The Verge, 15 Jan. 2025 The rock formations and splashes of water seen here are heavily manipulated, periodically dissolving into pixelated blurs as the camera pans across them in all directions. —

Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 6 Jan. 2025 One of the photos is a closeup that focuses on some colorful artwork adorning the stainless-steel spacecraft — a pixelated, smiling cartoon banana holding a relatively realistic banana. —

Space.com Staff, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for pixelated