thriller
CommonNeutral; common in everyday and entertainment contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A book, film, or play that is exciting and suspenseful, often involving crime, mystery, or danger.
Any event or situation that is intensely exciting or suspenseful; in sports, a close and thrilling contest.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Distinguished from horror by focus on suspense rather than fear, and from mystery by emphasis on tension and excitement over puzzle-solving.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage; the word is identical in spelling and meaning.
Connotations
Similarly associated with entertainment genres in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally frequent in British and American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
a thriller about [subject]thriller starring [actor]thriller set in [location]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “edge-of-your-seat thriller”
- “nail-biting thriller”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; may refer to a thrilling business event or product launch.
Academic
Used in studies of literature, film, and media genres.
Everyday
Common in discussions about movies, books, and entertainment.
Technical
In film and publishing industries, for genre classification.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The new film will thrill audiences across the UK.
American English
- The latest movie is sure to thrill viewers in the US.
adverb
British English
- He described the event thrillingly to his friends.
American English
- She narrated the story thrillingly during the podcast.
adjective
British English
- It was a thoroughly thrilling experience at the theatre.
American English
- That was a thrilling game of basketball.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I watched a thriller last night.
- She likes thriller books.
- The thriller had many surprising twists.
- We saw an exciting thriller at the cinema.
- This psychological thriller explores deep themes of identity and suspense.
- The film is a classic thriller that keeps you guessing until the end.
- Modern thrillers often deconstruct traditional narratives to create complex moral dilemmas.
- The author's latest thriller incorporates elements of cyberpunk and noir.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember 'thriller' contains 'thrill', which means to excite, so a thriller is something that thrills you.
Conceptual Metaphor
Excitement is a rollercoaster ride; suspense is a tightening coil.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'ужасы' (horror); 'триллер' is direct but ensure context is suspense, not fear.
- Avoid literal translation for non-entertainment contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'thriller' to describe horror movies
- Misspelling as 'triller' or 'thriler'
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a thriller?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A thriller focuses on suspense and excitement, often with psychological elements, while a horror movie aims to frighten and shock through supernatural or grotesque means.
No, 'thriller' is a noun; the verb form is 'thrill', meaning to excite or cause a thrill.
It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, depending on the discussion.
In American English, it is pronounced as /ˈθrɪl.ɚ/, with a rhotic 'r' sound.