cliff-hanging
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of cliff-hanging
An Americanism dating back to 1935–40
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Echo Summit, a mountain pass where cliff-hanging U.S.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 26, 2021
Instead, producers said the camera will cut away in the cliff-hanging moment before a kiss or a punch.
From New York Times ● May 11, 2020
They contain no character development, B-plots, or meaty details and seem primarily designed to showcase some canonical Star Wars character or gear, while killing time before setting up the cliff-hanging finale.
From Slate ● Dec. 12, 2019
France also came within a whisker of preventing New Zealand from finally lifting the World Cup trophy in 2011, losing 8-7 to the All Blacks in a cliff-hanging final.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 15, 2019
They just seemed to stop talking at some awkward, cliff-hanging moment and then Mom would attend to washing the dishes and Dad would silently read the newspaper.
From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.