THRILLERS Synonyms: 8 Similar and Opposite Words

thrillers

noun

plural of thriller

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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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 Romance stories and drama thrillers are still the dominant genres for short-form serials and recurring series, but that mix is changing. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 Show creator Quinn Shephard told Netflix’s Tudum that her love for Y2K teen movies and erotic thrillers like Carrie, Jennifer’s Body and Heavenly Creatures, as well as her fascination with the Salem witch trials, inspired her to write The Body. — Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026 Top genres included general fiction led the market at 27% of revenue, followed by science fiction/fantasy, romance, and mysteries/thrillers/suspense. — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 So many thrillers start out great and then the ending is just kind of [blah], whereas this was a whopper of an ending. — Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026 Over the years, however, the actress has proven herself remarkably versatile, pivoting nimbly from frothy rom-coms and broad comedies to searing dramas, psychological thrillers, and big-budget spectacles. — Chris Bellamy, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026 In past years, this pot has held other thrillers, like canna lilies, bird of paradise, and Lemony Lace elderberry. — Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 12 Aug. 2026 Erotic thrillers, a genre which peaked in the 1980s and ‘90s, have also been making a slow but steady comeback. — David MacK, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026 Well, the growing season in the South is a long one, and even the best thrillers get tired, the spillers get leggy, and the fillers sometimes disappear. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrillers

Noun

Although there have been hundreds of close calls and nail-biters, there have been some comebacks that feel like a movie come to life.

— Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
The Avs, who won the President’s Trophy with the league’s best regular-season record, opened the playoffs with a pair of 2-1 nail-biters over the Kings.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 May 2026

Definition of nail-biters

Noun

In other words, cut the contentious cliff-hangers and replace them with pasta and palazzos — and stories people can connect with.

— The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of cliff-hangers

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thriller

thrillers

thrilling

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“Thrillers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrillers. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of thrillers

noun

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