as in thriller
something (as a close contest) that induces much suspense as to its outcome
finally, a Super Bowl game that turned out to be a real cliff-hanger
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of cliff-hanger
All the elements are there, complete with potential cliff-hanger endings for each episode.
—
Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
Last week's show ended on a cliff-hanger, as the result of the latest banishment ceremony was unknown going into the season finale.
—David Wysong, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The eponymous characters of the wildly popular Netflix hit, played respectively by Antonia Gentry and Brianne Howey, left us on quite the cliff-hanger when season 2 concluded in January 2023.
—Ali Pantony, Glamour, 6 June 2025
By the season finale cliff-hanger, Morgan’s boss, Lieutenant Selena Soto (Judy Reyes), and colleague, Detective Daphne Forrester (Javicia Leslie), have embraced her quirky methods — and manifest it by infusing more color and pattern into their officewear.
—Fawnia Soo Hoo, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2025
In a new trailer, released May 5, beloved characters return after Season 2's violent cliff-hanger.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Of course, that’s no surprise to anyone who has seen Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which, No. 1, absolutely rocks, and, No. 2 (no spoilers), ends on quite the cliff-hanger.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025
Things go very, very wrong at a Valentine’s Day party, which leads to the most intense cliff-hanger of the series.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2025
Fans have been clamoring for the new season ever since the 3rd season ended with a cliff-hanger, with emotions running high between Brunson’s Janine and Williams’ Gregory characters.
—Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 4 Oct. 2024
Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
Last week's show ended on a cliff-hanger, as the result of the latest banishment ceremony was unknown going into the season finale.
—David Wysong, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The eponymous characters of the wildly popular Netflix hit, played respectively by Antonia Gentry and Brianne Howey, left us on quite the cliff-hanger when season 2 concluded in January 2023.
—Ali Pantony, Glamour, 6 June 2025
By the season finale cliff-hanger, Morgan’s boss, Lieutenant Selena Soto (Judy Reyes), and colleague, Detective Daphne Forrester (Javicia Leslie), have embraced her quirky methods — and manifest it by infusing more color and pattern into their officewear.
—Fawnia Soo Hoo, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2025
In a new trailer, released May 5, beloved characters return after Season 2's violent cliff-hanger.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Of course, that’s no surprise to anyone who has seen Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which, No. 1, absolutely rocks, and, No. 2 (no spoilers), ends on quite the cliff-hanger.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025
Things go very, very wrong at a Valentine’s Day party, which leads to the most intense cliff-hanger of the series.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2025
Fans have been clamoring for the new season ever since the 3rd season ended with a cliff-hanger, with emotions running high between Brunson’s Janine and Williams’ Gregory characters.
—Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 4 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliff-hanger
thriller
Noun
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Its trailer, viewed by tens of thousands on YouTube (65,000 and counting), has only fueled more interest in the sci-fi thriller series, which already picked up an award at Italy’s Global Series Festival last June.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
16 Aug. 2025
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Here’s a man as comfortable working in documentaries (4 Little Girls), filmed theater (Passing Strange), crime thrillers (Inside Man), and outlandish satire (Bamboozled).—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
16 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cliff-hanger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliff-hanger. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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