arresting
Americanadjective
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attracting or capable of attracting attention or interest; striking.
an arresting smile.
-
making or having made an arrest.
the arresting officer.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of arresting
Explanation
Something arresting commands your attention. It's stunning, and you can't turn away. When the police arrest someone, they capture them. Likewise, when something is arresting, it captures your attention because it is so sensational. An arresting sight — like the Grand Canyon — makes you want to keep looking at it for hours. An arresting song is one you always want to hear. An arresting story is captivating and engrossing. Something arresting is not only entertaining; it's mesmerizing.
Vocabulary lists containing arresting
"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
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Pay Attention! Synonyms for "Interesting"
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"Politics and the English Language" by George Orwell
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Federal immigration agents targeted at least one business here, arresting more than 40 immigrant workers and triggering civil unrest as they carried out sweeps across Southern California.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
I’d never been in the presence of such arresting beauty.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
Robert France, temporary deputy chief constable for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Constabulary, apologised for arresting Nowak in the moments before he died.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
In some ways, arresting these men was the easy part.
From Slate • May 27, 2026
There was something arresting about the youngster's eyes.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
