: 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 got mixed reviews and wasn’t profitable, but became a beloved library title on cable for decades – especially for a female-centric action thriller.
—
Matt Donnelly, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Avengers and Materialists star Chris Evans is joining the crime-thriller My Darling California, the next project for writer-director Elijah Bynum (Magazine Dreams).
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
The game, a rematch of last month’s Elite Eight thriller, would take place on Thanksgiving Eve at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, according to Rothstein.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2026
While the director’s last studio hit, 1999’s Deep Blue Sea, shares shark DNA, the new thriller’s roots are deeply embedded in 1970s disaster movies, not least the truly dreadful Airport ’77.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thriller
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Matt Donnelly, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Avengers and Materialists star Chris Evans is joining the crime-thriller My Darling California, the next project for writer-director Elijah Bynum (Magazine Dreams).
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
The game, a rematch of last month’s Elite Eight thriller, would take place on Thanksgiving Eve at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, according to Rothstein.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2026
While the director’s last studio hit, 1999’s Deep Blue Sea, shares shark DNA, the new thriller’s roots are deeply embedded in 1970s disaster movies, not least the truly dreadful Airport ’77.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 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 2 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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