cliffhanger Syllabification: (cliff·hang·er)Pronunciation: /ˈklifˌhaNGər/Translate cliffhanger | into German | into Italian | into Spanish Definition of cliffhanger noun an ending to an episode of a serial drama that leaves the audience in suspense. a story or event with a strong element of suspense:the game was a cliffhanger right up to the final buzzerDerivatives cliffhangingPronunciation: /-ˌhaNGiNG/ adjective cliffhanger in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of cliffhanger in the British & World English dictionary