thriller

noun

ˈthri-lər How to pronounce thriller (audio)
Definition of thrillernext
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of thriller After romance, the top genres for men are comedy, action, sci-fi and thrillers. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 July 2026 Independent Film Company is wide on 1,600 screens with Motor City, the buzzy Venice and Toronto crime-revenge thriller starring Alan Ritchson, Shailene Woodley, Pablo Schreiber and Ben Foster. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 24 July 2026 The flashbacks deliver some classic cat-and-mouse conspiracy-thriller action, as these two try to figure out who’s on their tail. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 24 July 2026 This French mystery thriller got a 10-minute standing ovation at Cannes this year. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for thriller
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thriller
suspenser
Noun
  • Directed by Nelicia Low, the suspenser follows a young fencer struggling with keeping his secret crush on a fellow fencer from his homophobic mother.
    — Vivienne Chow, Variety, 17 May 2022
  • On the other hand, the story introduces fictional characters and elements that give it the air of a suspenser, exactly the sort for which Harris is so popular.
    — Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Jan. 2022
Definition of suspenser

Browse Nearby Words

thrilled
thriller
thrillers
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thriller.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thriller. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on thriller

Nglish: Translation of thriller for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of inveigle

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All