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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 thrillers
In 1963 Alfred Hitchcock released The Birds, one of his most iconic thrillers.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Unger, who lives in Clearwater, has a reputation for solid stand-alone thrillers that have landed on bestseller lists, with unusual plots and unconventional motives shrouded in dark-but-not-oppressive atmospheres.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
Series Mania this year marks yet another strong Belgian showcase, as public broadcasters from the North (VRT) and South (RTBF) unite yet again to present compelling dramas, historical thrillers and strikingly relevant shows.
—Kevin Giraud, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
There's been thrillers, nail-biters, and a couple of upsets in the men's tournament.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Comedies, dramas, action flicks, psychological thrillers; all of them added another layer to the cinematic experience.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 18 Mar. 2026
This month's trending book recommendations include a mix of romantasy, thrillers, and contemporary romance.
—Jessica Moore, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
On film, the Canadian actress had a run of thrillers earlier in her career, namely The Todd Killings (1971), Breaking Point (1976), Stone Cold Dead (1979), and Silent Madness (1984).
—Kelly Martinez, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
For example, there’s a lot of cozy or light drama, and crime drama always works very well, thrillers and this kind of genre.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Unger, who lives in Clearwater, has a reputation for solid stand-alone thrillers that have landed on bestseller lists, with unusual plots and unconventional motives shrouded in dark-but-not-oppressive atmospheres.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
Series Mania this year marks yet another strong Belgian showcase, as public broadcasters from the North (VRT) and South (RTBF) unite yet again to present compelling dramas, historical thrillers and strikingly relevant shows.
—Kevin Giraud, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
There's been thrillers, nail-biters, and a couple of upsets in the men's tournament.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Comedies, dramas, action flicks, psychological thrillers; all of them added another layer to the cinematic experience.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 18 Mar. 2026
This month's trending book recommendations include a mix of romantasy, thrillers, and contemporary romance.
—Jessica Moore, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
On film, the Canadian actress had a run of thrillers earlier in her career, namely The Todd Killings (1971), Breaking Point (1976), Stone Cold Dead (1979), and Silent Madness (1984).
—Kelly Martinez, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
For example, there’s a lot of cozy or light drama, and crime drama always works very well, thrillers and this kind of genre.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrillers
Noun
-
Key said Kentucky has been in enough nail-biters under Brooks that the players have learned to handle those challenges.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
-
There's been thrillers, nail-biters, and a couple of upsets in the men's tournament.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And many have speculated that Netflix’s vast trove of data informs certain narrative habits on its shows (cliff-hangers to encourage bingeing, for example, and frequent restating of plot points to engage viewers distracted by their phones).—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
13 Mar. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Thrillers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrillers. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
