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
  • Kamran Pasha has devised a truly unique take that honors the source material while expanding it in an enthralling, unexpected way.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • And in the face of such adversity, the fanbase has opted for a measure of gallows humor – symbolized by hundreds of inflatable yellow bananas that punctuated the capacity crowd that was treated to an enthralling match against PSG.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of enthralling
Adjective
  • However, as Pamela Colloff reveals in her taut and engrossing investigation, a scheming jailhouse snitch’s testimony was largely responsible for putting Dailey on death row for decades.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The story of his exfiltration from Moscow is utterly engrossing.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of engrossing
Adjective
  • Even if no scene is particularly riveting on its own, the film still comes together into something oddly compelling.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Consistently riveting and beautifully shot by Roger Deakins, this is top-tier Bond.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of riveting
Adjective
  • While renting a charming Mediterranean Revival-style villa in the Hollywood Hills, the FBI tapped her phone lines and the CIA covertly intercepted and opened her mail.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The author behind the singular Elizabeth Zott returns with ‘Peck & Peck,’ a sharp, charming satire on the pretensions and perils of literary gatekeepers.
    — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of charming
Adjective
  • Tyson Familiar and visually uninspired, yet still sporadically captivating.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Aside from the rebellious English rockers, Friday’s other highlights included one of punk’s most captivating frontpersons with Dani Miller showing why Surfbort is always a must-watch band.
    — Josh Chesler, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of captivating
Adjective
  • By 2036, the spacecraft is scheduled to rendezvous with its final and most intriguing target, 269 Justitia.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Jeremy Strong making no facial expression as Mark Zuckerberg, on the other hand, was not intriguing enough to tempt theatergoers.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of intriguing
Adjective
  • This new doc is a gripping watch, with incredible access to the principals.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Hoover’s 2018 novel, Verity, is a gripping mystery where trust is elusive and the line between fiction and reality blurs.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of gripping
Adjective
  • Those are impressive numbers, but the interesting part is how Creality has arrived at them.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • And here’s where your Social Security concern gets interesting.
    — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 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 18 Oct. 2026.

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