thriller

noun

thrill·​er ˈthri-lər How to pronounce thriller (audio)
: one that thrills
especially : a work of fiction or drama designed to hold the interest by the use of a high degree of intrigue, adventure, or suspense

Examples of thriller in a Sentence

His latest novel is a political thriller. those television awards are hardly thrillers since the same people win year after year
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And the spy thriller with Cruise’s frequent partner Christopher McQuarrie in the director’s chair for the fourth time in the franchise was the top global earner with $127 million. Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025 Until Dawn, a horror thriller based on the hit Sony Interactive Entertainment video game, is coming soon to digital streaming. Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 Previous motorsport thrillers such as 2013’s Rush and Ford v Ferrari didn’t exactly burn rubber at the ticket-taking turnstile. Chris Lee, Vulture, 22 May 2025 His previous two films were the ill-fated (but far better than remembered) Brainstorm, a psychedelic science fiction thriller forever marred due to its co-lead Natalie Wood's tragic death during production, and a dark masterpiece, David Cronenberg's adaptation of Stephen King's The Dead Zone. EW.com, 24 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for thriller

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thriller was in 1889

Cite this Entry

“Thriller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thriller. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

thriller

noun
thril·​ler ˈthril-ər How to pronounce thriller (audio)
: one that thrills
especially : a work of fiction or drama with a great deal of action, mystery, adventure, or suspense

More from Merriam-Webster on thriller

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!