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Definitions

thriller

[thril-er] / ˈθrɪl ər /
NOUN
cliffhanger
Synonyms
STRONGEST
close call shocker
STRONG
squeaker
WEAK
close shave narrow escape spine-chiller white knuckle
NOUN
mystery
Synonyms
STRONGEST
conundrum enigma problem question riddle secrecy subtlety
STRONG
abstruseness charade chiller cliffhanger crux cryptogram difficulty grabber inscrutability mystification occult oracle perplexity poser puzzlement rebus rune sphinx stickler stumper teaser twister whodunit why
WEAK
brainteaser braintwister closed book inscrutableness mindboggler sixty-four thousand dollar question tough nut to crack
Antonyms
WEAK
known understanding
NOUN
perplexity
Synonyms
STRONGEST
puzzlement
STRONG
abstruseness charade chiller cliffhanger conundrum crux cryptogram difficulty enigma grabber inscrutability mystification occult oracle poser problem puzzle puzzler question rebus riddle rune secrecy sphinx stickler stumper subtlety teaser twister whodunit why
WEAK
brainteaser braintwister closed book inscrutableness mindboggler sixty-four thousand dollar question tough nut to crack
Antonyms
STRONG
harmony
NOUN
puzzler
Synonyms
STRONG
abstruseness charade chiller cliffhanger conundrum crux cryptogram difficulty enigma grabber inscrutability mystification occult oracle perplexity poser problem puzzle puzzlement question rebus riddle rune secrecy sphinx stickler stumper subtlety teaser twister whodunit why
WEAK
brainteaser braintwister closed book inscrutableness mindboggler sixty-four thousand dollar question tough nut to crack
Antonyms
STRONG
harmony
NOUN
suspense
Synonyms
STRONGEST
anxiety apprehension confusion doubt insecurity tension uncertainty
STRONG
chiller dilemma eagerness expectancy expectation grabber hesitancy hesitation impatience indecision indecisiveness irresolution perplexity potboiler wavering
WEAK
cliff-hanger cloak-and-dagger page-turner
Antonyms
STRONGEST
calmness certainty composure ease peace
WEAK
knowledge

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

At a sturdy 100-minute runtime, “Hag” blows past pastiche at every turn, doing laps around the thriller genre’s conventions and tropes.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

Will Forte and D’Arcy Carden star in the black comedy/crime thriller set in Australia as co-dependent siblings willing to do anything to get their spray-tan business off the ground.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Fourth place went to Hindi-language spy thriller "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" with $4.75 million.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

Having already published a memoir, she is now pursuing a "passion project" - writing a political thriller.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

If a novelist put some of this stuff into a fictional thriller, the reader would be justified in throwing the book aside and shouting, “Come on, that would never happen!”

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.