thriller

noun TREE-lehr Rare

Origin: English loanword, from 'thrill' (to excite).

Usage Note

Thriller is an anglicism fully integrated into Spanish to denote the thriller genre in film and literature. It is typically used without translation; the plural is thrillers. Spanish has no single-word native equivalent that covers both film and literary genres simultaneously, which explains the borrowing's durability alongside alternatives like película de suspense.

Examples

"Le encantan las novelas de thriller psicológico."

Natural Translation

She loves psychological thriller novels.

Literal Translation

To-her they-enchant the novels of psychological thriller.

Free starter pack

Building your Spanish vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Spanish Past Tense Made Easy

Preterite vs. imperfect: use the preterite for finished events, the imperfect for ongoing scenery. A trigger-word cheat sheet, flowchart, and examples.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Accent Marks: 3 Rules for Every Word

A Spanish word needs an accent mark in just three cases: it breaks the default stress, it's a homophone, or a weak vowel splits off. Here are all three rules.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

You're Welcome in Spanish: Beyond De Nada

You're welcome in Spanish is more than de nada. Learn con gusto, no hay de qué, a la orden and more — and which to use by region and how formal the moment is.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish False Friends That Cause Real Embarrassment

Spanish false friends like embarazada and excitado don't mean what you think. Learn the trap words, the right ones to say instead, and how to stop guessing.

June 3, 2026 6 min read