Suspense
noun
A state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.
She kept her friends in suspense.
Often appears as...
- building suspense
- moment of suspense
noun
A quality in a work of fiction that arouses excited expectation or uncertainty about what will happen.
Poe combines horror, mystery, and suspense in his stories.
Often appears as...
- narrative suspense
- literary suspense
Usage tips
Academic
noun
Temporary cessation or delay.
The suspense of the work due to legal issues.
Often appears as...
- suspense of action
- suspense of proceedings
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Technical
noun
A state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.
She kept her friends in suspense.
Often appears as...
- building suspense
- moment of suspense
noun
A quality in a work of fiction that arouses excited expectation or uncertainty about what will happen.
Poe combines horror, mystery, and suspense in his stories.
Often appears as...
- narrative suspense
- literary suspense
Usage tips
Academic
noun
Temporary cessation or delay.
The suspense of the work due to legal issues.
Often appears as...
- suspense of action
- suspense of proceedings
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Effect
Suspense can evoke strong emotional reactions such as excitement or nervousness.
The suspense before the results were announced was almost unbearable.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
Although often associated with anxiety, suspense can also be pleasurable, like in waiting for a surprise.
The suspense before her birthday party was filled with joyful anticipation.
Pro Tip 3/3Narrative Tool
Writers use suspense to hook readers, making them eager to know what happens next.
The novel's suspense made it impossible to put down.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Effect
Suspense can evoke strong emotional reactions such as excitement or nervousness.
The suspense before the results were announced was almost unbearable.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
Although often associated with anxiety, suspense can also be pleasurable, like in waiting for a surprise.
The suspense before her birthday party was filled with joyful anticipation.
Pro Tip 3/3Narrative Tool
Writers use suspense to hook readers, making them eager to know what happens next.
The novel's suspense made it impossible to put down.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Effect
Suspense can evoke strong emotional reactions such as excitement or nervousness.
The suspense before the results were announced was almost unbearable.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
Although often associated with anxiety, suspense can also be pleasurable, like in waiting for a surprise.
The suspense before her birthday party was filled with joyful anticipation.
Pro Tip 3/3Narrative Tool
Writers use suspense to hook readers, making them eager to know what happens next.
The novel's suspense made it impossible to put down.
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Video examples
Kate Stone: DJ decks...
and the suspense will be as much mine if it works. And I'm not a DJ, and I'm not a musician, so I'm a little bit scared of that. So I think, I found the best way to describe my journey is just to mention a few little things that have happened to me throughout my life. There's three particular things that I've done,
Video examples
What fear can teach us PIPE...
you should be wondering what happened to the men of the whaleship Essex. Our fears provoke in us a very similar form of suspense. Just like all great stories, our fears focus our attention on a question that is as important in life as it is in What will happen next?
Video examples
How to make your writing...
What's inside the haunted mansion? Which of the dinner guests is the murderer? But suspense exists beyond these genres. Will the hero save the day? Will the couple get together in the end? And what is the dark secret that causes the main character so much pain?
Video examples
In on a secret? That's...
You feel tremendous tension and the suspense of knowing that someone will jump out and be scary, but you just don't know when. That tension is dramatic you know something more than the characters in the film. Now, take the typical comedy.
Video examples
First person vs. Second...
Placing the reader in a character’s perspective can build urgency and suspense. Sometimes, though, second person is intended to distance the narrator from their own story, rather than bring the reader closer to the story. In these cases,
Video examples
A clever solution to the...
way in partnership with the local source so what do we do we buy in bulk and we sell these small quantities to add unique suspense machine that we develop this machine so how does it work first you get the container on your local
Video examples
The gospel of doubt PIPE...
A room like this, nonetheless. With the same great feelings of suspense, the same deep hopes for salvation, the same sweat in the palms and the same people in the back not paying attention.
Video examples
Why tech needs the...
and he could go deep on topics, and we were about to be fired. So we sent him in. After a couple days of suspense, Jeff was still there. They hadn't sent him home.
Video examples
Baby Albatross Encounter...
Albatross parents do not recognize their chick by sight, sound or smell. What turned into a moment of relief quickly turned into a moment of suspense.
Video examples
A Year in Space PIPE MARS
there's that drama that sense of suspense as to whether or not they can survive on a world that they were not made for
Video examples
Kate Stone: DJ decks...
and the suspense will be as much mine if it works. And I'm not a DJ, and I'm not a musician, so I'm a little bit scared of that. So I think, I found the best way to describe my journey is just to mention a few little things that have happened to me throughout my life. There's three particular things that I've done,
Video examples
What fear can teach us PIPE...
you should be wondering what happened to the men of the whaleship Essex. Our fears provoke in us a very similar form of suspense. Just like all great stories, our fears focus our attention on a question that is as important in life as it is in What will happen next?
Video examples
How to make your writing...
What's inside the haunted mansion? Which of the dinner guests is the murderer? But suspense exists beyond these genres. Will the hero save the day? Will the couple get together in the end? And what is the dark secret that causes the main character so much pain?
Video examples
In on a secret? That's...
You feel tremendous tension and the suspense of knowing that someone will jump out and be scary, but you just don't know when. That tension is dramatic you know something more than the characters in the film. Now, take the typical comedy.
Video examples
First person vs. Second...
Placing the reader in a character’s perspective can build urgency and suspense. Sometimes, though, second person is intended to distance the narrator from their own story, rather than bring the reader closer to the story. In these cases,
Video examples
A clever solution to the...
way in partnership with the local source so what do we do we buy in bulk and we sell these small quantities to add unique suspense machine that we develop this machine so how does it work first you get the container on your local
Video examples
The gospel of doubt PIPE...
A room like this, nonetheless. With the same great feelings of suspense, the same deep hopes for salvation, the same sweat in the palms and the same people in the back not paying attention.
Video examples
Why tech needs the...
and he could go deep on topics, and we were about to be fired. So we sent him in. After a couple days of suspense, Jeff was still there. They hadn't sent him home.
Video examples
Baby Albatross Encounter...
Albatross parents do not recognize their chick by sight, sound or smell. What turned into a moment of relief quickly turned into a moment of suspense.
Video examples
A Year in Space PIPE MARS
there's that drama that sense of suspense as to whether or not they can survive on a world that they were not made for
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Stacey Abrams
American Politician
Good romantic suspense can never underestimate the audience, and the best political leaders know how to shape a compelling narrative that respects voters and paints a picture of what is to come.
Quote examples
Alfred Hitchcock
English Director
Luck is everything... My good luck in life was to be a really frightened person. I'm fortunate to be a coward, to have a low threshold of fear, because a hero couldn't make a good suspense film.
Quote examples
Jeffery Deaver
American Writer
To answer that I have to describe what I think is my responsibility as a thriller writer: To give my readers the most exciting roller coaster ride of a suspense story I can possibly think of.
Quote examples
Jesse Kellerman
American Novelist
The mystery form was very helpful for me as a beginning writer because mystery novels and suspense novels have a beginning, a middle and an end.
Quote examples
Nelson DeMille
American Author
You have to go out of your way as a suspense novelist to find situations where the protagonists are somewhat helpless and in real danger.
Quote examples
George R. R. Martin
American Author
I've said in many interviews that I like my fiction to be unpredictable. I like there to be considerable suspense.
Quote examples
Ernest Gaines
American Writer
I believe that the writer should tell a story. I believe in plot. I believe in creating characters and suspense.
Quote examples
Jeanne Moreau
French Actress
Death is an absolute mystery. We are all vulnerable to it, it's what makes life interesting and suspenseful.
Quote examples
Fawn M. Brodie
American Author
Show me a character whose life arouses my curiosity, and my flesh begins crawling with suspense.
Quote examples
Julie Kenner
American Author
If the characters are acting true to themselves, then that chemistry and suspense will flow.
Quote examples
Stacey Abrams
American Politician
Good romantic suspense can never underestimate the audience, and the best political leaders know how to shape a compelling narrative that respects voters and paints a picture of what is to come.
Quote examples
Alfred Hitchcock
English Director
Luck is everything... My good luck in life was to be a really frightened person. I'm fortunate to be a coward, to have a low threshold of fear, because a hero couldn't make a good suspense film.
Quote examples
Jeffery Deaver
American Writer
To answer that I have to describe what I think is my responsibility as a thriller writer: To give my readers the most exciting roller coaster ride of a suspense story I can possibly think of.
Quote examples
Jesse Kellerman
American Novelist
The mystery form was very helpful for me as a beginning writer because mystery novels and suspense novels have a beginning, a middle and an end.
Quote examples
Nelson DeMille
American Author
You have to go out of your way as a suspense novelist to find situations where the protagonists are somewhat helpless and in real danger.
Quote examples
George R. R. Martin
American Author
I've said in many interviews that I like my fiction to be unpredictable. I like there to be considerable suspense.
Quote examples
Ernest Gaines
American Writer
I believe that the writer should tell a story. I believe in plot. I believe in creating characters and suspense.
Quote examples
Jeanne Moreau
French Actress
Death is an absolute mystery. We are all vulnerable to it, it's what makes life interesting and suspenseful.
Quote examples
Fawn M. Brodie
American Author
Show me a character whose life arouses my curiosity, and my flesh begins crawling with suspense.
Quote examples
Julie Kenner
American Author
If the characters are acting true to themselves, then that chemistry and suspense will flow.
Example 1 of 10
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