keep in suspense

Meaning

This phrase means to intentionally delay revealing the outcome of a situation to build excitement, anxiety, or curiosity. It is commonly used when discussing movies, books, or eagerly awaited news.

Examples

• The director loves to keep the viewers in suspense until the final scene of the movie.

  The director loves to keep the viewers in suspense until the final scene of the movie.

• Don't keep me in suspense—did you get the job or not?

  Don't keep me in suspense—did you get the job or not?

• The cliffhanger at the end of season one kept everyone in suspense for months.

  The cliffhanger at the end of season one kept everyone in suspense for months.

• She kept us in suspense for an hour before finally revealing the surprise party.

  She kept us in suspense for an hour before finally revealing the surprise party.

• A great thriller novel always finds new ways to keep its readers in suspense.

  A great thriller novel always finds new ways to keep its readers in suspense.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The horror movie kept me on suspense the whole time.

  ✓ The horror movie kept me in suspense the whole time.

  The correct preposition to use with 'suspense' in this idiom is 'in', not 'on'.

• ✗ Please don't keep in suspense me.

  ✓ Please don't keep me in suspense.

  The object pronoun (me, us, him, them, etc.) must go between 'keep' and 'in suspense'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The director's goal was to ___ the entire theater until the very last frame.

  💡 To make the audience wait anxiously for the ending.

  Show answer

  keep in suspense

• It's cruel to ___ your friends when you have such big news to share.

  💡 To make people wait with excitement or anxiety.

  Show answer

  keep in suspense