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cliffhanger
or cliff-hang·er
[ klif-hang-er ]
/ ˈklɪfˌhæŋ ər /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
noun
a melodramatic or adventure serial in which each installment ends in suspense in order to interest the reader or viewer in the next installment.
a single installment in such a serial.
a suspenseful movie, novel, etc.
the suspenseful ending itself.
a situation or contest of which the outcome is suspensefully uncertain up to the very last moment: The game was a cliffhanger, but our team finally won.
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ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?
We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.
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Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?
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Origin of cliffhanger
An Americanism dating back to 1935–40
Words nearby cliffhanger
Clifden nonpareil, cliff, cliff brake, cliff dweller, cliff-hang, cliffhanger, cliff-hanging, Clifford, Clifford trust, Cliffside Park, Cliffs Notes
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use cliffhanger in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for cliffhanger
cliffhanger
/ (ˈklɪfˌhæŋə) /
noun
- a situation of imminent disaster usually occurring at the end of each episode of a serialized film
- the serialized film itself
a situation that is dramatic or uncertain
Derived forms of cliffhanger
cliffhanging, adjectiveCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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