as in breathtaking
causing great emotional or mental stimulation
the movie's climax is a heart-stopping chase through the streets of San Francisco
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Recent Examples of heart-stopping
And in the third period of the USA’s heart-stopping 2-1 overtime win over the Canadians in Sunday’s gold medal game, the UMass Lowell product turned to another Hockey East product, Bruins defenseman and former Boston University Terrier Charlie McAvoy, for some game-saving assistance.
—
Stephen Conroy, Hartford Courant, 23 Feb. 2026
The wooden coaster has carried more than 27 million riders over its time and brings heart-stopping views of the Ozarks, while also being one of the longest-running wooden coasters in the nation.
—Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 21 Feb. 2026
From here, hiking trails trace ancient routes used by shepherds and traders, edging along precipices with heart-stopping views into the void below.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
Tuffy’s 16 saves in the third, including a pair of heart-stopping stuffs in the final minute, sealed a memorable performance.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heart-stopping
Stephen Conroy, Hartford Courant, 23 Feb. 2026
The wooden coaster has carried more than 27 million riders over its time and brings heart-stopping views of the Ozarks, while also being one of the longest-running wooden coasters in the nation.
—Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 21 Feb. 2026
From here, hiking trails trace ancient routes used by shepherds and traders, edging along precipices with heart-stopping views into the void below.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
Tuffy’s 16 saves in the third, including a pair of heart-stopping stuffs in the final minute, sealed a memorable performance.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heart-stopping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heart-stopping
Adjective
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The clear turquoise waters of the Outer Hebrides are breathtaking–freezing–but breathtaking!—
Riza Cruz,
Vogue,
11 May 2026
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The park was established in 1910 and features seemingly endless acres of rugged and breathtaking landscapes and historic national park lodges.—
Dave Parfitt,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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Anderson, like Wharton, is exciting but would also be extremely expensive, probably north of £100million.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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March 21 – April 19 A bold move could set exciting momentum in motion today.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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What makes the story so thrilling is watching an outsider learn how to open those doors, bluff by bluff, and for a while make the system work for him.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
7 May 2026
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The beloved broadcaster – who turns 100 this week – has been making thrilling and informative shows about the wonders of our planet for decades, spanning everything from the reptiles that roamed the Earth 66 million years ago to the wildlife battling for survival in sub-zero polar regions.—
Irenie Forshaw,
TheWeek,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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From there, both fighters were trading blows, but the fifth round was when Strickland had an interesting moment with Chimaev.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
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Welcome to Taste Test, where every week our critic Jonah Flicker explores the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heart-stopping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heart-stopping. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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