Suspense: meaning, definitions and examples

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suspense

 

[ səˈspɛns ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

feeling

A feeling of excitement or tension about what will happen next in a story, movie, or event.

Synonyms

anticipation, excitement, tension

Examples of usage

  • The suspense in the movie kept the audience on the edge of their seats.
  • The suspense of waiting for the test results was unbearable.
Context #2 | Noun

literature

The quality of a work of literature that makes the reader or audience uncertain or tense about the outcome of events.

Synonyms

drama, intrigue, tension

Examples of usage

  • The author masterfully built up the suspense throughout the novel.
  • The suspense in the plot kept readers guessing until the very end.

Translations

Translations of the word "suspense" in other languages:

🇵🇹 suspense

🇮🇳 संदेह

🇩🇪 Spannung

🇮🇩 suspense

🇺🇦 напруга

🇵🇱 napięcie

🇯🇵 サスペンス

🇫🇷 suspense

🇪🇸 suspense

🇹🇷 gerilim

🇰🇷 서스펜스

🇸🇦 تشويق

🇨🇿 napětí

🇸🇰 napätie

🇨🇳 悬念

🇸🇮 napetost

🇮🇸 spenna

🇰🇿 күйзеліс

🇬🇪 სასიხარულო

🇦🇿 gərginlik

🇲🇽 suspenso

Etymology

The word 'suspense' originated from the Latin word 'suspensus', which means 'suspended'. It first appeared in the English language in the 15th century. The concept of suspense has been a crucial element in storytelling throughout history, creating anticipation and excitement for audiences.

See also: suspend, suspended, suspension.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #11,783, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.