suspense

noun

sus·​pense sə-ˈspen(t)s How to pronounce suspense (audio)
1
: the state of being suspended : suspension
2
a
: mental uncertainty : anxiety
b
: pleasant excitement as to a decision or outcome
a novel of suspense
3
: the state or character of being undecided or doubtful : indecisiveness
suspenseful adjective
suspensefully adverb
suspensefulness noun
suspenseless adjective

Examples of suspense in a Sentence

I can't bear the suspense. The suspense builds as the story progresses. Alfred Hitchcock was a master of suspense. The movie is a suspense thriller.
Recent Examples on the Web As the countdown to the 96th Academy Awards winds to an end, little suspense hovers over who will win the Oscar for supporting actress. Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Many categories feel like a lock, but there still is an air of suspense about a couple of the top contests. Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 8 Mar. 2024 Even though the suspense is there, this incredibly sophisticated tour de force focuses mostly on observing its characters from a distance, as well as the pivotal events that bring change and trauma to their lives. Ernesto Lechner, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2024 Here are a few secrets to awe your audience: Build suspense to maximize the level of surprise. Ashley Stahl, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 The unseen menace keeps suspense taut, though some will find the resolution of its mystery a bit heavy-handed, as well as tricky to reconcile with prior events. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 5 Feb. 2024 Though violence seems inevitable, the question of whether the crops will survive the first frost is a source of equal suspense. Alex Barasch, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2024 Morocco then missed late chances to seal it with Mulenga pulling off two saves in stoppage time to keep the suspense to the end. CiarÁn Fahey, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2024 Early signing day has taken most of the suspense out of college football’s traditional signing period. Ron Counts, Idaho Statesman, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'suspense.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from suspendre

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of suspense was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near suspense

Cite this Entry

“Suspense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suspense. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

suspense

noun
sus·​pense sə-ˈspen(t)s How to pronounce suspense (audio)
1
: the state of being suspended : suspension
2
a
: mental uncertainty : anxiety
b
: pleasant excitement caused by wondering what will happen
a novel of suspense
3
: the state of being undecided
suspenseful adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on suspense

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