suspenseful

adjective

Definition of suspensefulnext
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 There’s this funny conceit that all the people in Slough House are a bit of screwups, but the show also gets very emotional and suspenseful, and the stakes are often very high. — Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026 If the idea is to make the Emmys even less suspenseful, mission accomplished. — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026 But, though the special effects are killer, what makes the show click is its suspenseful melancholy, as quiet scenes build to jolts so intense that the whole audience screamed. — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 Paranormal Activity understands just how much fun that can be, crafting a story so suspenseful, so surprising and so startling that the audience’s screams become a soundtrack all their own. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026 Watch On Despite containing a plot summary in its title and a tepid reception when it was released, director Andrew Dominik’s meditative film manages to be both suspenseful and insightful. — David Faris, TheWeek, 21 Aug. 2026 The Coen brothers’ quiet debut film is among their most suspenseful works. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 None of this is remotely credible, or particularly suspenseful. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026 The suspenseful shark sequences in an underwater cage where two distressed heroines Tatiana (Laura Marano) and Kaley (Christina Ochoa) get trapped are shockingly good while a third act ratchets up the blood and the tension. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 30 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspenseful
  1. enthralling
  2. engrossing
  3. riveting
  4. charming
  5. captivating
  6. intriguing
  7. gripping
  8. interesting
Adjective
  • That alone is intriguing, but what the film uncovers (or perhaps, doesn’t uncover) is even more enthralling.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Sep. 2026
  • By the end of the fight, an enthralling contest which Taylor won by a somewhat wide 27 points to 3, the crowd was on their feet.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of enthralling
Adjective
  • Those scenes play as if the screenwriters gave up on trying to resolve the twisty plot, instead just making their characters tell all, leaving the film’s denouement much less engrossing than its setup.
    — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
  • At half-time of the mostly engrossing, controversial Manchester derby on Sunday, Marc Guehi was accosted by a Sky Sports reporter and asked a few questions.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of engrossing
Adjective
  • The new thriller is earning critical acclaim for its compelling depiction of the controversial NBC series To Catch a Predator, as well as Robert Pattinson’s riveting portrayal of host Chris Hansen.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2026
  • To spin total concoctions into something so riveting is — for better or worse — an admirable cinematic skill, one Hur uses to turn a tale of forensic malfeasance into mass entertainment of considerable quality.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of riveting
Adjective
  • The Sprocket is a charming and efficient pocket-sized printer that uses ZINK zero-ink technology to output your smartphone photos, Polaroid-style, on special paper.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Café Nizza is a charming spot in Södermalm with impeccably unfussy dishes and fun bottles.
    — Riza Cruz, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of charming
Adjective
  • The dancer dazzled the judges and left the audience’s jaws on the ground with his captivating, Matrix-like audition.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Oakley and Reid lean so heavily into Elinor and Marianne’s crushing disappointments and the forces holding them back in a period of vast gender inequity, that their sorrows shove the characters’ more captivating qualities to the side.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of captivating
Adjective
  • Adapted from a story by Henry Bates, the drama is an intriguing science fantasy, made believable by touches of genuine humor and the faint suggestion of a romance between a pretty American widow and a mysterious visitor from another planet.
    — THR Staff, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Atelier Lune One of the more intriguing features of the Camping House is how mobility is integrated into its architectural design.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of intriguing
Adjective
  • The bestselling author of A Fable for the End of the World and A Study in Drowning focuses her newest book on a cast of characters whose roles entangle to create a gripping story.
    — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The other three Dazzle Dry steps—a cleansing alcohol primer, a gripping base coat, and a wear-elongating top coat—are integral to nails that won’t chip for weeks.
    — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of gripping
Adjective
  • If studios and financiers knew what was going to work every time, everyone would be rich and the industry would be a lot less interesting.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Bentley The hood gets some interesting detailing, along with a chrome trim along its sides.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of interesting

Browse Nearby Words

suspense
suspenseful
suspenseless
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Cite this Entry

“Suspenseful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspenseful. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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