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
Recent Examples on the Web
Last week's episode ended on quite the cliff-hanger.
—
Journal Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, the future of the region’s lone rail line is, literally, a cliff-hanger.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2024
The episode ended on a cliff-hanger, with fans unsure of who receive Gerry's other rose.
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023
When a species has reached the verge of extinction, recovery programs become awful, expensive cliff-hangers.
—Jared Diamond, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Season 2 ended with a dramatic cliff-hanger as the show grapples with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, trying to play some of the real life fears and tensions from March 2020.
—Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 26 Aug. 2023
There’s so much that needs to be answered after last season’s numerous cliff-hangers.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 16 July 2023
After the fifth episode left viewers with a major cliff-hanger, episode six kicked off with a quick resolution: Bryan and Sarah Baeumler revealed that Kelsey and Ryan of Team Taniya won the $3,000 prize for the exterior renovation.
—Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 10 July 2023
The first season of Shrinking ends with a literal cliff-hanger.
—Seija Rankin, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 June 2023
Journal Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, the future of the region’s lone rail line is, literally, a cliff-hanger.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2024
The episode ended on a cliff-hanger, with fans unsure of who receive Gerry's other rose.
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023
When a species has reached the verge of extinction, recovery programs become awful, expensive cliff-hangers.
—Jared Diamond, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Season 2 ended with a dramatic cliff-hanger as the show grapples with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, trying to play some of the real life fears and tensions from March 2020.
—Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 26 Aug. 2023
There’s so much that needs to be answered after last season’s numerous cliff-hangers.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 16 July 2023
After the fifth episode left viewers with a major cliff-hanger, episode six kicked off with a quick resolution: Bryan and Sarah Baeumler revealed that Kelsey and Ryan of Team Taniya won the $3,000 prize for the exterior renovation.
—Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 10 July 2023
The first season of Shrinking ends with a literal cliff-hanger.
—Seija Rankin, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cliff-hanger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Cliff-hanger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cliff-hanger. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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