cliff-hanger
noun
cliff-hang·er
ˈklif-ˌhaŋ-ər 
1
: an adventure serial or melodrama
especially
: one presented in installments each ending in suspense
2
: a contest whose outcome is in doubt up to the very end
broadly
: a suspenseful situation
Examples of cliff-hanger in a Sentence
finally, a Super Bowl game that turned out to be a real cliff-hanger
Recent Examples on the Web
All the elements are there, complete with potential cliff-hanger endings for each episode.
—
Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
Last week's show ended on a cliff-hanger, as the result of the latest banishment ceremony was unknown going into the season finale.
—David Wysong, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The eponymous characters of the wildly popular Netflix hit, played respectively by Antonia Gentry and Brianne Howey, left us on quite the cliff-hanger when season 2 concluded in January 2023.
—Ali Pantony, Glamour, 6 June 2025
By the season finale cliff-hanger, Morgan’s boss, Lieutenant Selena Soto (Judy Reyes), and colleague, Detective Daphne Forrester (Javicia Leslie), have embraced her quirky methods — and manifest it by infusing more color and pattern into their officewear.
—Fawnia Soo Hoo, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2025
In a new trailer, released May 5, beloved characters return after Season 2's violent cliff-hanger.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Of course, that’s no surprise to anyone who has seen Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which, No. 1, absolutely rocks, and, No. 2 (no spoilers), ends on quite the cliff-hanger.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025
Things go very, very wrong at a Valentine’s Day party, which leads to the most intense cliff-hanger of the series.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2025
Fans have been clamoring for the new season ever since the 3rd season ended with a cliff-hanger, with emotions running high between Brunson’s Janine and Williams’ Gregory characters.
—Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 4 Oct. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
Last week's show ended on a cliff-hanger, as the result of the latest banishment ceremony was unknown going into the season finale.
—David Wysong, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The eponymous characters of the wildly popular Netflix hit, played respectively by Antonia Gentry and Brianne Howey, left us on quite the cliff-hanger when season 2 concluded in January 2023.
—Ali Pantony, Glamour, 6 June 2025
By the season finale cliff-hanger, Morgan’s boss, Lieutenant Selena Soto (Judy Reyes), and colleague, Detective Daphne Forrester (Javicia Leslie), have embraced her quirky methods — and manifest it by infusing more color and pattern into their officewear.
—Fawnia Soo Hoo, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2025
In a new trailer, released May 5, beloved characters return after Season 2's violent cliff-hanger.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Of course, that’s no surprise to anyone who has seen Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which, No. 1, absolutely rocks, and, No. 2 (no spoilers), ends on quite the cliff-hanger.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025
Things go very, very wrong at a Valentine’s Day party, which leads to the most intense cliff-hanger of the series.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2025
Fans have been clamoring for the new season ever since the 3rd season ended with a cliff-hanger, with emotions running high between Brunson’s Janine and Williams’ Gregory characters.
—Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 4 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Cliff-hanger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cliff-hanger. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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