The state of being suspended; specifically, a state of uncertainty and expectation, with anxiety or apprehension; indetermination; indecision; as, the suspense of a person waiting for the verdict of a jury.
the sustained interest in a narrative or drama created by delaying the resolution of the conflict.
Suspense is a feeling of curiosity or uncertainty about the outcome of events in a literary work.
a reader's anxious uncertainty about a decision or event in a literary work
n. the anticipation of the reader or the audience as to the outcome of the events of a short story, a novel or a drama; suspense is a device used to stimulate and maintain interest.
apprehension about what is going to happen
an uncertain cognitive state; "the matter remained in suspense for several years"
excited anticipation of an approaching climax; "the play kept the audience in suspense"
That quality of a literary work that makes the reader or audience uncertain or tense about the outcome of events. Suspense makes the reader ask "What will happen next?". Suspense is greatest when it focuses attention on a sympathetic character. Thus, the most familiar kind of suspense involves a character hanging form the lee of a tall building, or tied to a railroad tracks as a train approaches.
wondering what's going to happen next, such as "waiting for the other shoe to drop."
a state of excitement or apprehension created by the pacing and sequencing of scenes, through the raising of a protagonist's emotional or physical stakes, or through the creation of jeopardy situations for a protagonist.
is a literary device in which the author maintains the audience's attention through the buildup of events, the outcome of which will soon be revealed. It results primarily from two factors: the reader's identification with and concern for the welfare of a convincing and sympathetic character, and an anticipation of violence. Example: The suspense in Othello is whther of not Othello will kill Desdemona and will Iago be caught.
the growing feeling of anxiety and excitement that makes a reader curious about the outcome of a story.
Suspense, one of the premier drama programs of the Golden Age of Radio, was subtitled "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." It was heard on CBS from 1942 through 1962.