cliffhanger
noun /ˈklɪfhæŋə(r)/
/ˈklɪfhæŋər/
- a situation in a story, film, competition, etc. that is very exciting because you cannot guess what will happen next, or you do not find out immediately what happens next
- The first part of the serial ended with a real cliffhanger.
- Tonight’s vote on European policy threatens to be a cliffhanger.
Word Origin1930s: from early film serials in which episodes ended with characters in desperate situations such as hanging off the edge of a cliff.