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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of cliff-hanger
For now, Mars keeps its secrets, and Bright Angel stays a cliff-hanger.
—
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Whether banger or ballad, her tracks make room for characters, settings, twists, a tidy ending, a cliff-hanger.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Debora Cahn, creator and showrunner of the Netflix series, discusses season two’s cliff-hanger ending and the importance of highlighting the work of civil servants.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2025
The biggest key to the success of minidramas, though, is the cliff-hangers, which push viewers to keep paying for the next episode.
—Yixuan Tan, NBC news, 17 Aug. 2025
Which means there are some major cliff-hangers to obsess over for the next few weeks.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2025
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
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Whether banger or ballad, her tracks make room for characters, settings, twists, a tidy ending, a cliff-hanger.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Debora Cahn, creator and showrunner of the Netflix series, discusses season two’s cliff-hanger ending and the importance of highlighting the work of civil servants.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2025
The biggest key to the success of minidramas, though, is the cliff-hangers, which push viewers to keep paying for the next episode.
—Yixuan Tan, NBC news, 17 Aug. 2025
Which means there are some major cliff-hangers to obsess over for the next few weeks.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliff-hanger
thriller
Noun
-
But while they’re known for their humor, Martin is hoping to induce a different feeling in viewers with Wayward, a new Netflix thriller that deals with the troubled teen industry, set to debut September 25.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Equal parts high-stakes thriller and intimate family portrait, Inside the Cartel offers an unprecedented look at the sacrifices of going undercover.—
Greg Hanlon,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cliff-hanger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliff-hanger. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share