cliffhanger
/ˈklɪfhæŋə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [klˈɪfhˌæŋɚ] /ˈklɪfhæŋər/ (ame, ipa) · [klˈɪfhˌæŋɚ] /ˈklif-ˌhaŋ-ər/ (ame, mw)
cliffhanger — noun
- cliffhangersingular
- cliffhangersplural
1. a story, film, or competition whose result or outcome stays unknown until the ve
a story, film, or competition whose result or outcome stays unknown until the very last moment, keeping the audience or participants in a state of excited uncertainty
The episode ended on a cliffhanger, and fans waited months for the next season.
cliffhanger referring to a TV series ending
This election is a cliffhanger, with both candidates polling within one percent of each other.
cliffhanger used for a close competition
Every chapter ends with a cliffhanger, making the book hard to put down.
The talent competition was a cliffhanger that kept the audience guessing until the final envelope was opened.
The basketball game was a cliffhanger until the winning basket was scored in the final second.
- nail-biter
informal; focuses on the anxious feeling of the audience rather than the narrative structure
- suspenseful ending
emphasises the emotional state of uncertainty rather than the narrative device
- close call
used for competitions where the result is very tight; less common for stories or films
文法句型
cliffhanger + verb
用法筆記
Often follows the pattern 'end with a cliffhanger' or 'be a cliffhanger'. Common in discussions of TV series, films, books, and close competitions. Can be modified with 'real' for emphasis (a real cliffhanger).