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chiller

chiller

2 5.9
A story or film that makes you feel afraid and excited
  • noun
  • /ˈtʃɪlər/
translation icon : película de terror
  • She loves reading a good chiller during Halloween to really get into the spooky spirit.

And it was the way I find found out like 'cause I'd only ever seen Night of the Living Dead on some chiller theater or late night, you know, horror host.

Examples

  • The film was a real chiller, keeping us on the edge of our seats until the very end.

  • The film is directed by Michael Paul Stephenson and will premiere on Chiller on October 28th.

    Blog text (23)
  • If you have any really popular mystery chiller horror to recommend to me, please feel free to do so.

  • And it was the way I find found out like 'cause I'd only ever seen Night of the Living Dead on some chiller theater or late night, you know, horror host.

  • You can teach me the differencebetween thrillers and chillers.

  • The story is a chilling chiller that explores the darker side of human nature.

Synonyms

thriller
vschiller
97 3.0

An exciting book or film about dangerous events that keeps you in suspense

focuses on causing fear or intense excitement rather than slow suspense
hair-raiser
vschiller
  • Informal
7.2

An experience that causes strong fear or excitement

causes strong excitement or fear but slightly less extreme
screamer
vschiller
  • Texting
7.8

A short video made to surprise and scare viewers

builds fear or excitement across a whole story rather than a single sudden scare

Antonyms

315 1.3

A light play or film meant to make people laugh and end happily

190 1.0

A feeling of physical ease and being free from pain

How Scary

horror show
  • Informal
8 6.8
chiller
2 5.9
thriller
97 3.0

Surface Forms

chiller singular
chillers plural

Morphology

chiller = chill (semi-transparent) = chill + er

The word is built from 'chill' + '-er', but the 'frighten/thrill' sense is a metaphorical extension rather than a fully literal agentive meaning.

Etymology

Chiller comes from the word chill, which means 'cold' and the small 'shiver' you feel when something scares you. So a chiller is a story or film that gives you that 'cold' shiver, which is why it means a scary or thrilling thing.