Synonyms of thriller

thriller

noun

ˈthri-lər 

as in suspenser

something (as a close contest) that induces much suspense as to its outcome

those television awards are hardly thrillers since the same people win year after year

Synonyms & Similar Words

• suspenser
• nail-biter
• cliff-hanger
• hair-raiser
• photo finish
• squeaker

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• blowout
• yawner

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of thriller

The new thriller, in development since at least 2024, brings the teeth-gnashing to New York, which sees gators in the streets and sewers after a hurricane hits the city. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2026

Arizona’s Carson Beck and King — two NFL rookies who once faced off in an eight-overtime college thriller won by Georgia’s Beck over Georgia Tech’s King — threw swords at each other throughout that second quarter. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 7 Aug. 2026

The follow-up to the popular cult crime thriller, which starred Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and James Franco, was announced in May 2025, 13 years after the original. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026

Well, the growing season in the South is a long one, and even the best thrillers get tired, the spillers get leggy, and the fillers sometimes disappear. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026