thriller

noun

thrill·​er ˈthri-lər 

: 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

Synonyms of thriller

• suspenser

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

Far and Away, as well as in director Stanley Kubrick’s 1999 erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Leonardo DiCaprio is put in quite the pickle as a stressed spy in the solid political thriller. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

He was filled with ambition to see more of the country, write a spy thriller and literally climb more hills. — Andrea Javor, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Jeremy Saulnier certainly did after the actor saw the filmmaker’s breakout self- and crowd-funded revenge thriller, Blue Ruin (2013), starring his childhood best friend Macon Blair. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing thriller

• techno-thriller

Rhymes for thriller

• biller
• chiller
• driller
• filler
• hilar
• hiller
• killer
• pillar
• quiller
• siller
• spiller
• stiller

Kids Definition

thriller

noun

thril·​ler ˈthril-ər 

: one that thrills

especially : a work of fiction or drama with a great deal of action, mystery, adventure, or suspense