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
Pittsburgh responded from the messy end against the Bills by winning four of five to earn its first AFC North title in five years, the final win coming in a heart-stopper in Week 18 against Baltimore that ended up costing longtime Ravens coach John Harbaugh his job.
—CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026
Thursday’s semifinal was a heart-stopper, with the sixth and final lead change — four of them in the fourth quarter — making the final score when Beck ran 3 yards for the winning touchdown in the final minute.
—Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Two ended in overtime, two more were gutted out in double overtime, one was a triple overtime heart-stopper, and three were upset wins with unpredictable heroics.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
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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CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026
Thursday’s semifinal was a heart-stopper, with the sixth and final lead change — four of them in the fourth quarter — making the final score when Beck ran 3 yards for the winning touchdown in the final minute.
—Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Two ended in overtime, two more were gutted out in double overtime, one was a triple overtime heart-stopper, and three were upset wins with unpredictable heroics.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Heart-stopper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heart-stopper. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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