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Trepidation vs Suspense - What's the difference?

trepidation | suspense |

As nouns the difference between trepidation and suspense

is that trepidation is trembling while suspense is the condition of being suspended; cessation for a time.

As an adjective suspense is

(obsolete) held or lifted up; held or prevented from proceeding.

trepidation

English

Noun

(-)
  • A fearful state; a state of hesitation or concern.
    • I decided, with considerable trepidation , to let him drive my car without me.
  • * 1929 , , Chapter VII, Section vi
    • She opened the drawing-room door in trepidation . Would she find Esther drowned with her head in the goldfish bowl, or hanged from the chandelier by her stay-lace?
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=December 10 , author=Marc Higginson , title=Bolton 1 - 2 Aston Villa , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=The Midlanders will hope the victory will kickstart a campaign that looked to have hit the buffers, but the sense of trepidation enveloping the Reebok Stadium heading into the new year underlines the seriousness of the predicament facing Owen Coyle's men.}}
  • An involuntary trembling, sometimes an effect of paralysis, but usually caused by terror or fear; quaking; quivering.
  • (astronomy, obsolete) A libration of the starry sphere in the Ptolemaic system; a motion ascribed to the firmament, to account for certain small changes in the position of the ecliptic and of the stars.

    • Synonyms

    * (fearful state) agitation, apprehension, consternation, fear, hesitation, worry

    Related terms

    * intrepid * trepid * trepidate * trepidatory * trepidancy * trepidity * trepidly * trepidatious

    Anagrams

    * *

    suspense

    English

    (wikipedia suspense)

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (obsolete)

    Noun

    (-)
  • The condition of being suspended; cessation for a time.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • a cool suspense from pleasure and from pain
  • the pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement regarding the outcome or climax of a book, film etc.
  • The unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension in an uncertain situation.
  • * Denham
    • Ten days the prophet in suspense remained.
  • (legal) A temporary cessation of one's right; suspension, as when the rent or other profits of land cease by unity of possession of land and rent.

    • Derived terms

    * suspenseful

    Related terms

    * cliffhanger * tenterhook

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (obsolete) Held or lifted up; held or prevented from proceeding.
  • * Milton
    • [The great light of day] suspense in heaven.
  • (obsolete) Expressing, or proceeding from, suspense or doubt.
  • * Milton
    • Expectation held his look suspense .
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