THRILLER Synonyms: 8 Similar and Opposite Words

thriller

noun

ˈthri-lər

as in suspenser

something (as a close contest) that induces much suspense as to its outcome those television awards are hardly thrillers since the same people win year after year

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of thriller The new ‘Burbs, expanded to eight episodes by creator Celeste Hughey, seems at first to be a stale, simplistic fusion of its namesake and the more recent wave of racially attuned social thrillers popularized by Get Out director Jordan Peele. —

Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026 That same year, Netflix branched into original programming with House of Cards, a political thriller featuring Kevin Spacey. —

Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026 The sixteenth title, Swiss TV thriller Gold, was unveiled earlier in the month at Berlinale’s Co-Pro Series Market. —

Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026 Here are 10 books—everything from memoirs to thrillers—to tuck in your bag, no matter where you're headed. —

Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thriller

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thriller

suspenser

Noun

Directed by Nelicia Low, the suspenser follows a young fencer struggling with keeping his secret crush on a fellow fencer from his homophobic mother.

— Vivienne Chow, Variety, 17 May 2022
On the other hand, the story introduces fictional characters and elements that give it the air of a suspenser, exactly the sort for which Harris is so popular.

— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Jan. 2022