: one that thrills
especially
: a work of fiction or drama designed to hold the interest by the use of a high degree of intrigue, adventure, or suspense
Examples of thriller in a Sentence
His latest novel is a political thriller.
those television awards are hardly thrillers since the same people win year after year
Recent Examples on the Web
The film reframes Hugo’s novel — adapted dozens of times throughout the decades but probably best known to modern audiences from the musical and Tom Hooper’s 2012 film adaptation — as a propulsive chase thriller.
—
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Recent crime thriller Run Away debuted at #1 on Netflix’s Top 10 during its debut week in January.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Your exclusive first look at the new D-Day thriller starring Brendan Fraser and Andrew Scott (in theaters May 29) that hinges on a weather forecast.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Harnessing the period drama expertise of Banijay’s Diagonal and its key crew, the crossover of historical thriller and arthouse social point film, tense at times and gorgeously shot, played off the heavenly mountains and a historical hell.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for thriller
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Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Recent crime thriller Run Away debuted at #1 on Netflix’s Top 10 during its debut week in January.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Your exclusive first look at the new D-Day thriller starring Brendan Fraser and Andrew Scott (in theaters May 29) that hinges on a weather forecast.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Harnessing the period drama expertise of Banijay’s Diagonal and its key crew, the crossover of historical thriller and arthouse social point film, tense at times and gorgeously shot, played off the heavenly mountains and a historical hell.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for thriller
Cite this Entry
“Thriller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thriller. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thriller
noun
thril·ler
ˈthril-ər 
: one that thrills
especially
: a work of fiction or drama with a great deal of action, mystery, adventure, or suspense
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