heart-stopper
noun
heart-stop·per
ˈhärt-ˌstä-pər 
plural heart-stoppers
: a shocking or thrilling occurrence or event (such as an excitingly suspenseful competition)
… he connected on the game-winner with a shaky 41-yarder in the closing moments for a 24-22 heart-stopper against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.—
Jon Saraceno
Jon SaracenoExamples of heart-stopper in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Every near-miss is a heart-stopper, but Samantha’s eventual death relies not on the element of surprise, but on vital information being presented upfront, so that the anxiety of it eventually coming into play leaves no room for respite.
—Gayle Sequeira, Vulture, 16 May 2025
Albeit a fail at home or at work on your own PC is even more of a heart-stopper.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Aledo, winner of a UIL-record 11 state titles, had its own heart-stopper as Cole Crawford kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired to beat Denton Guyer 48-45.
—Greg Riddle, Dallas News, 2 Sep. 2023
The midcentury daylight ranch property is off the market, but is still a heart-stopper.
—Jeastman, oregonlive, 28 July 2023
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Gayle Sequeira, Vulture, 16 May 2025
Albeit a fail at home or at work on your own PC is even more of a heart-stopper.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Aledo, winner of a UIL-record 11 state titles, had its own heart-stopper as Cole Crawford kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired to beat Denton Guyer 48-45.
—Greg Riddle, Dallas News, 2 Sep. 2023
The midcentury daylight ranch property is off the market, but is still a heart-stopper.
—Jeastman, oregonlive, 28 July 2023
Cite this Entry
“Heart-stopper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heart-stopper. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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