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

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 thriller The result is a deeply sad drama that’s trying on a thriller’s coat for size. —

Chris Feil, Vulture, 1 May 2026 The former is right up the alley of fans of supernatural thrillers, while the latter pulls back the curtain on the invention of reality TV. —

Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026 In the end, APEX deserves to go down as one of the most intense thrillers of all time. —

Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2026 To be clear, in this country, this is still the stuff of B-list thrillers. —

Sue Halpern, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 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