SUSPENSEFUL Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

suspenseful

adjective

Definition of suspenseful

as in enthralling

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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 suspenseful Set in occupied Poland in the middle of the Second World War, Holoubek’s tour de force is part suspenseful western, part gritty wartime noir. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 July 2026 Unlike an actual sporting event, of course, the outcome is engineered, which doesn’t make the golf scenes less suspenseful or exciting for the viewer. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026 The publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking—unlikely, possible, definite, indefinite, cancelled, then actual—makes As Always, Julia intensely suspenseful. — Literary Hub, 13 July 2026 The assumption here is that swings will be cleaner and broadcasts will be more suspenseful without the timer to rush everything. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 July 2026 Willow Creek functions as both a jovial document of the town itself and, in its later stages, a properly suspenseful horror film. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026 In this new suspenseful mystery that’s also an examination of our country’s racial history, a girl comes of age in post–Civil War Virginia as Reconstruction collapses. — Shyla Watson, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026 Coproduced with Grayson Beatz, the track is laid back compared to his other bass-thumping, suspenseful works. — Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 20 June 2026 Sitting front row, Fox and Pollan happily cuddled up in front of the camera ahead of the game, which made for a suspenseful evening. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 11 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspenseful

Adjective

The romance of Prague is enthralling, from its pretty winding lanes to its skyline of rising spires.

— Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 21 July 2026
Creative players both, this could be an enthralling matchup — and Fery should get the Centre Court berth that British players dream about.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of enthralling

Adjective

Congratulations to every team and to #FIFA for a truly riveting tournament from start to finish.

— Meg Walters, InStyle, 21 July 2026
There are also some strong sequences in the climax to Nolan’s Batman trilogy — such as the riveting plane hijacking opener, and Bruce’s trial in The Pit.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026

Definition of riveting

Adjective

Designed to be charming and romantic, rooms have a B&B feel with canopy beds, rich drapery, plush chairs, hardwood floors, and walls adorned with chair rail and crown molding.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
At dinners, someone would mention a founder; nods were followed by anecdotes of a charming visionary.

— Henrik Landgren, Fortune, 29 July 2026

Definition of charming

Adjective

The day’s other huge story was Mathieu van der Poel, who won one of the most captivating final stages the Tour has ever seen.

— Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 27 July 2026
The research done is exhaustive, and the narrative formed by the team to present in episodes is sonically captivating.

— Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Definition of captivating

Adjective

Freshman Cole Leinart, son of 2004 Heisman Trophy winner and USC national champion Matt Leinart, is an intriguing addition.

— Antonio Morales, New York Times, 27 July 2026
The back nine begins with one of Torre's most intriguing risk-reward opportunities at the par-5 11th.

— Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Definition of intriguing

Adjective

Zookeepers nursed him and gave him the toy to develop his gripping ability, something newborn macaques need to survive.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
His gripping and meticulously researched book tells the story of an audacious operation by charting the exploits of both the perpetrators and the investigators.

— Monitor reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 23 July 2026

Definition of gripping

Adjective

Anthropic and Amazon are absent from every version, and that pairing is the most interesting thing missing from the list.

— Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Perhaps the Codex Micro’s most interesting feature is a rotary dial that lets the user adjust the agent’s reasoning level depending on the difficulty of the task.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 July 2026

Definition of interesting

Browse Nearby Words

suspense

suspenseful

suspenseless

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Cite this Entry

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“Suspenseful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspenseful. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of suspenseful

adjective

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