as in suspensers
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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Recent Examples of thrillers
Our fears showed up in the movies, too, in Cold War dramas like Sidney Lumet’s 1964 Fail Safe or apocalyptic thrillers like Stanley Kramer’s 1959 On the Beach.
—
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Neon also had two other films — both political thrillers — that were celebrated at Cannes and then proved popular in Telluride, as well.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Tense international spy thrillers, cozy British mysteries, gripping crime dramas and even more Kpop.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Best known for thrillers like Parents Weekend and If Something Happens to Me, Finlay teases that his latest novel is more than just a chiller for readers.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Likely because of its obvious similarities to The Conversation, David Mackenzie’s first proper release in nearly a decade is being touted as some kind of heroic callback to the adult thrillers of the 1970s.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2025
One that’s been on my radar lately is trad wife thrillers, especially as social media feeds are filled with demure baking videos, homeschooling tips and picturesque domestic life.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025
With his brow perennially furrowed and hair slicked with sweat, Riley has the exact look and bearing of a suavely addled wrong-man figure from British thrillers of yore — and thus makes a suitably bemused proxy for the viewers in this wasteland of mounting chaos and absurdity.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Aug. 2025
Leo’s older brother, John Prevost, told NBC’s Chicago affiliate that the pope found the getaway relaxing and had actually hoped to read a book during his vacation — the pope likes legal thrillers — but hadn’t found the time.
—Andrea Rosa, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Neon also had two other films — both political thrillers — that were celebrated at Cannes and then proved popular in Telluride, as well.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Tense international spy thrillers, cozy British mysteries, gripping crime dramas and even more Kpop.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Best known for thrillers like Parents Weekend and If Something Happens to Me, Finlay teases that his latest novel is more than just a chiller for readers.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Likely because of its obvious similarities to The Conversation, David Mackenzie’s first proper release in nearly a decade is being touted as some kind of heroic callback to the adult thrillers of the 1970s.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2025
One that’s been on my radar lately is trad wife thrillers, especially as social media feeds are filled with demure baking videos, homeschooling tips and picturesque domestic life.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025
With his brow perennially furrowed and hair slicked with sweat, Riley has the exact look and bearing of a suavely addled wrong-man figure from British thrillers of yore — and thus makes a suitably bemused proxy for the viewers in this wasteland of mounting chaos and absurdity.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Aug. 2025
Leo’s older brother, John Prevost, told NBC’s Chicago affiliate that the pope found the getaway relaxing and had actually hoped to read a book during his vacation — the pope likes legal thrillers — but hadn’t found the time.
—Andrea Rosa, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrillers
Noun
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Louisville-area football fans saw some blowouts and some nail-biters Friday night.—
Rich Barak,
Louisville Courier Journal,
23 Aug. 2025
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The plan looked genius early in the season, when the Giants were winning nail-biters, walking off games with Little League and inside-the-park home runs and Wilmer Flores’ clutch hitting.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The biggest key to the success of minidramas, though, is the cliff-hangers, which push viewers to keep paying for the next episode.—
Yixuan Tan,
NBC news,
17 Aug. 2025
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Which means there are some major cliff-hangers to obsess over for the next few weeks.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thrillers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrillers. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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