white-knuckle thriller
- noun
- /ˈwaɪtˌnʌkəl ˈθrɪlər/
- Informal
:
thriller emocionante
- If you enjoy edge-of-your-seat cinema, you won't want to miss this white-knuckle thriller.
Examples
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That latest action movie is a true white-knuckle thriller with nonstop suspense.
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Critics are calling it the most intense white-knuckle thriller of the year.
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This movie is a perfect white-knuckle thriller!
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I love watching white-knuckle thrillers on Friday nights.
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Critics are calling it the most intense white-knuckle thriller of the year.
-
If you enjoy edge-of-your-seat cinema, you won't want to miss this white-knuckle thriller.
-
That latest action movie is a true white-knuckle thriller with nonstop suspense.
Synonyms
97
3.0
An exciting book or film about dangerous events that keeps you in suspense
7
5.2
A situation that makes people very nervous because the result is uncertain
2
5.9
A story or film that makes you feel afraid and excited
1
5.5
A very stressful event that makes you feel worried
Antonyms
How Suspenseful
- Informal
97
3.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
white-knuckle + thriller
The literal words 'white' and 'knuckle' do not directly denote 'suspenseful film,' but the adjective 'white‑knuckle' is a metaphorical image (gripping so hard your knuckles go white) that conveys intense tension. This metaphorical link can sometimes be inferred by learners who imagine the physical reaction, but it is not a fully transparent, compositional meaning and therefore not reliably predictable for an average B1 learner.
Etymology
The phrase white-knuckle thriller comes from the picture of someone holding on so hard their knuckles turn white from fear. So it means 'a very exciting movie that makes you feel tense'.