Cliffhanger
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˌklɪfˈhæŋ.ə(ɹ)/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Cliffhanger is a noun meaning (narratology) An ending or stopping point calculated to leave a story unresolved, in order to create suspense.
Meaning
(narratology) An ending or stopping point calculated to leave a story unresolved, in order to create suspense.
More Meanings
- (by extension) An outcome which is awaited with keen anticipation, especially one which is delayed for a period of time or which is not known until the last minute.
Example Sentences
Back in the early 80s, the hit series Dallas kept the nation guessing with its season-ending cliffhanger "Who Shot J.R.?"
This presidential election is such a cliffhanger. Will it be the rising star Dmitry "Obamovich" Medvedev? Or the veteran Gennady "McCainovich" Zyuganov?
Word Forms
- cliffhangers
- cliff hanger
- cliff-hanger
Antonyms for cliffhanger
Common opposites include anticlimax.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include suspense, catastrophe, crisis, precipice, button, deathtrap.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.