thriller

noun

thrill·​er ˈthri-lər How to pronounce thriller (audio)
Synonyms of thrillernext
: 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.
In addition to my beloved daylight saving time and the impending arrival of spring, March winds blow in a stellar haul of good reads — including a revenge thriller, a novel set at Woodstock, a family drama, two supernatural tales and a restaurant’s origin story. Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 15 Mar. 2026 And then came a run through the ASUN Tournament that featured two drama-free wins and then the most important victory of all — a 98-93 overtime thriller over top-seeded Central Arkansas. Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Mar. 2026 Razor blades and pointe shoes prove pretty lethal in Vicky Jewson’s bloody and blistered ballet thriller, which finds a dysfunctional ballerina troupe fighting for survival after a run-in with a deadly Hungarian mob. Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2026 Netflix’s refugee thriller His House and Jordan Peele’s Lovecraft Country showed early signs of her penchant for horror as a metaphor for racial oppression. Kemi Alemoru, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2026 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 21 Mar. 2026.

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

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