suspense

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suspense

/səˈspɛns/

Rhymes with -ɛns

Where it comes from

From Middle English suspense, suspence, from Anglo-Norman suspens (as in en suspens) and Old French suspens, from Latin suspēnsus.

noun suspenses · suspence

uncountable, usually The condition of being suspended; cessation for a time. For thee the Fates, severely kind, ordain / A cool suspense from pleasure and from pain; / Thy life a long dead calm of fix'd repose; / No pulse that riots, and no blood that glows.
uncountable, usually The pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement regarding the outcome or climax of a book, film etc.
uncountable, usually The unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension in an uncertain situation. Ten days the prophet in suspense remain'd.
uncountable, usually A temporary cessation of one's right; suspension, as when the rent or other profits of land cease by unity of possession of land and rent.
US, uncountable, usually A deadline. She sent us that assignment with a suspense of noon tomorrow.

adjective suspence

not comparable, obsolete Held or lifted up; held or prevented from proceeding. [The great light of day] suspens in heav'n.
not comparable, obsolete Expressing, or proceeding from, suspense or doubt. Expectation held his look suspense.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: suspension, wait, standby, clearing, waiting, withdrawal, sufferance, stand-by, pass, hold, open, tension, transient, temporary, transitory, transitional

Translations

Every language

noun condition of being suspended

Español	suspensión
中文	悬疑 xuányí
Français	suspension
Deutsch	Hängen, Aussetzen, (vorübegehende) Unterbrechung
العربية	إِيقَاف ʔīqāf, تَوْقِيف tawqīf

noun pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement

Español	suspense, suspenso
Kiswahili	taharuki
Français	suspense
Deutsch	Spannung, (freudige) Erwartung
Русский	напряже́ние naprjažénije, напряжённое ожида́ние naprjažónnoje ožidánije, саспе́нс saspéns
العربية	تَشْوِيق tašwīq

noun unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension

Español	suspense, angustia
Français	angoisse, anxiété, appréhension
Deutsch	Spannung, Anspannung, (ängstliche) Erwartung
Italiano	trepidazione

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Cite this

MLA

"suspense." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/suspense. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

suspense. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/suspense

Chicago

"suspense." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/suspense.

BibTeX

@misc{suspense_2026,
  title = {suspense},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/suspense},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}