What does "cliffhanger" mean?
An ending or stopping point calculated to leave a story unresolved, in order to create suspense.
Cliffhanger
noun
noun ·3 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An ending or stopping point calculated to leave a story unresolved, in order to create suspense.
- Grammar: cliffhanger is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: cliffhangers, gripping, open ended, open ending.
- Useful contrasts: anticlimax, closure, conclusive.
- Usage evidence: Was the cliffhanger a downer or did it whet your appetite for more?
How to use "cliffhanger"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cliffhanger" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cliffhanger" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cliffhanger" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cliffhanger" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cliffhanger" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cliffhangers" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cliffhanger", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An ending or stopping point calculated to leave a story unresolved, in order to create suspense.
"Back in the early 80s, the hit series Dallas kept the nation guessing with its season-ending cliffhanger "Who Shot J.R.?""
- 2 an episode that ends in suspense wordnet
- 3 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. broadly
"This presidential election is such a cliffhanger. Will it be the rising star Dmitry "Obamovich" Medvedev? Or the veteran Gennady "McCainovich" Zyuganov?"
- 4 a contest whose outcome is uncertain up to the very end wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Was the cliffhanger a downer or did it whet your appetite for more?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cliffhanger"?
Common synonyms include: cliffhangers, gripping, open ended, open ending, suspense ending, suspenseful.
How do you use "cliffhanger" in a sentence?
Was the cliffhanger a downer or did it whet your appetite for more?
Etymology
From cliff + hanger, evoking the image of someone left hanging from a cliff, thereby having an uncertain fate. The term "cliffhanger" is considered to have originated with the serialised version of Thomas Hardy's "A Pair of Blue Eyes", published in Tinsley's Magazine in the 1870s, in which the character Henry Knight is left hanging off of a cliff. It was inspired by a real life story from his wife Emma's childhood, when she had to rescue one of her school friends from a similar position.