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.
With a cliff-hanging ending, “Ponies” is betting that Bea and Twila will get another season to find their truths, even in Moscow.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026
Echo Summit, a mountain pass where cliff-hanging U.S.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 26, 2021
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.
