suspense
noun
sus·pense
sə-ˈspen(t)s 
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
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
The current groups offer a lot less suspense in comparison, with Canada winning its group 73 percent of the time and USA winning 84 percent of the time.
—
Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Who's competing next Part of the suspense of the team competition is finding out who each country will choose to compete in each category, which is usually announced about 24 hours in advance.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
But not even Jones isn’t funny or magnetic enough to sustain attention without the support of real suspense and allure.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026
The idea is to have a Halloween event film ala Black Phone 2 and Halloween Kills given the suspense and horror-like nature of Clayface.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suspense
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Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Who's competing next Part of the suspense of the team competition is finding out who each country will choose to compete in each category, which is usually announced about 24 hours in advance.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
But not even Jones isn’t funny or magnetic enough to sustain attention without the support of real suspense and allure.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026
The idea is to have a Halloween event film ala Black Phone 2 and Halloween Kills given the suspense and horror-like nature of Clayface.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suspense
Cite this Entry
“Suspense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suspense. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
suspense
noun
sus·pense
sə-ˈspen(t)s
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
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