CEFR B2

suspense

noun

Meaning

A state of anxious uncertainty or excitement about what may happen.

The detective novel was full of suspense, keeping me guessing until the very end.
The audience held their breath in suspense as the tightrope walker inched across the wire.

Synonyms: tension, uncertainty, anticipation, apprehension

noun

Pronunciation: /səˈspɛns/

A state of anxious uncertainty or excitement about what may happen.

The detective novel was full of suspense, keeping me guessing until the very end.
The audience held their breath in suspense as the tightrope walker inched across the wire.
There was a palpable sense of suspense in the room before the election results were announced.

in suspense (prepositional phrase): In a state of anxious uncertainty. — "The waiting crowd was kept in suspense for an hour."
build suspense (collocation): To gradually increase the feeling of anticipation or uncertainty. — "The author used foreshadowing to build suspense."
maintain suspense (collocation): To keep the feeling of anticipation or uncertainty going. — "The film's pacing was excellent, helping to maintain suspense."

Words with a similar meaning to suspense:

Words with the opposite meaning to suspense: