interesting
[in-ter-uh-sting, -truh-sting, -tuh-res-ting]
- engaging or exciting and holding the attention or curiosity: an interesting book.
- arousing a feeling of interest: an interesting face.
Show More
- in an interesting condition, (of a woman) pregnant.
Show More
Origin of interesting
Synonyms
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com1. absorbing, entertaining. Interesting, pleasing, gratifying mean satisfying to the mind. Something that is interesting occupies the mind with no connotation of pleasure or displeasure: an interesting account of a battle. Something that is pleasing engages the mind favorably: a pleasing account of the wedding. Something that is gratifying fulfills expectations, requirements, etc.: a gratifying account of his whereabouts; a book gratifying in its detail.
Antonyms
1. dull.
interest
[in-ter-ist, -trist]
- the feeling of a person whose attention, concern, or curiosity is particularly engaged by something: She has a great interest in the poetry of Donne.
- something that concerns, involves, draws the attention of, or arouses the curiosity of a person: His interests are philosophy and chess.
- power of exciting such concern, involvement, etc.; quality of being interesting: political issues of great interest.
- concern; importance: a matter of primary interest.
- a business, cause, or the like in which a person has a share, concern, responsibility, etc.
- a share, right, or title in the ownership of property, in a commercial or financial undertaking, or the like: He bought half an interest in the store.
- a participation in or concern for a cause, advantage, responsibility, etc.
- a number or group of persons, or a party, financially interested in the same business, industry, or enterprise: the banking interest.
- interests, the group of persons or organizations having extensive financial or business power.
- the state of being affected by something in respect to advantage or detriment: We need an arbiter who is without interest in the outcome.
- benefit; advantage: to have one's own interest in mind.
- regard for one's own advantage or profit; self-interest: The partnership dissolved because of their conflicting interests.
- influence from personal importance or capability; power of influencing the action of others.
- Finance.
- a sum paid or charged for the use of money or for borrowing money.
- such a sum expressed as a percentage of money borrowed to be paid over a given period, usually one year.
- something added or thrown in above an exact equivalent: Jones paid him back with a left hook and added a right uppercut for interest.
Show More
- to engage or excite the attention or curiosity of: Mystery stories interested him greatly.
- to concern (a person, nation, etc.) in something; involve: The fight for peace interests all nations.
- to cause to take a personal concern or share; induce to participate: to interest a person in an enterprise.
- to cause to be concerned; affect.
Show More
- in the interest(s) of, to the advantage or advancement of; in behalf of: in the interests of good government.
Show More
Origin of interest
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for interesting
Contemporary Examples
Interesting that those who sat in judgment of him found those two sets of beliefs to be incompatible.
“I found him to to be an interesting person,” Krauss said of the first impression.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen HawkingM.L. Nestel
January 8, 2015
These are eight of the most interesting laws passed in the second session of the 113th Congress.
Nazis, Sunscreen, and Sea Gull Eggs: Congress in 2014 Was Hella ProductiveBen Jacobs
December 29, 2014
Perhaps the most interesting and indeed relevant of this is the C2 (or Command and Control) addresses found in the malware.
But by far the most interesting object, which held enormous fascination for me, sat high up on the top shelf.
Historical Examples
Really it's been interesting, the jolliest time of my life, and it's got me all unsettled.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
But no one knows whither it is bound, and that is what makes life so interesting.
Ancient ManHendrik Willem van Loon
The interview with the Sultan was the last, and was interesting and characteristic.
I spent a good deal of time this week trying to make it interesting.
Ester Ried Yet SpeakingIsabella Alden
It is interesting to note the advancement that has been made with this food.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 3Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
interesting
- inspiring interest; absorbing
Show More
interest
- the sense of curiosity about or concern with something or someonean interest in butterflies
- the power of stimulating such a senseto have great interest
- the quality of such stimulation
- something in which one is interested; a hobby or pursuit
- (often plural) benefit; advantagein one's own interest
- (often plural)
- a right, share, or claim, esp in a business or property
- the business, property, etc, in which a person has such concern
- a charge for the use of credit or borrowed money
- such a charge expressed as a percentage per time unit of the sum borrowed or used
- (often plural) a section of a community, etc, whose members have common aimswe must not offend the landed interest
- declare an interest to make known one's connection, esp a prejudicial connection, with an affair
Show More
- to arouse or excite the curiosity or concern of
- to cause to become involved in something; concern
Show More
Word Origin
C15: from Latin: it concerns, from interesse; from inter- + esse to be
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for interesting
adj.
1711, "that concerns, important," from interest (v.). Meaning "so as to excite interest" is from 1768. Related: Interestingly. Euphemistic phrase interesting condition, etc., "pregnant" is from 1748.
Show More
interest
v.
"to cause to be interested," c.1600, earlier interesse (1560s), from the noun (see interest (n.)). Perhaps also from or influenced by interess'd, past participle of interesse.
Show More
interest
n.
mid-15c., "legal claim or right; concern; benefit, advantage;" earlier interesse (late 14c.), from Anglo-French interesse "what one has a legal concern in," from Medieval Latin interesse "compensation for loss," noun use of Latin interresse "to concern, make a difference, be of importance," literally "to be between," from inter- "between" (see inter-) + esse "to be" (see essence).
Cf. German Interesse, from the same Medieval Latin source. Form in English influenced 15c. by French interest "damage," from Latin interest "it is of importance, it makes a difference," third person singular present of interresse. Financial sense of "money paid for the use of money lent" (1520s) earlier was distinguished from usury (illegal under Church law) by being in reference to "compensation due from a defaulting debtor." Meaning "curiosity" is first attested 1771. Interest group is attested from 1907; interest rate by 1868.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
interest
The charge for borrowing money or the return for lending it.
Show More
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Idioms and Phrases with interesting
interest
see in one's interest; take an interest; vested interest; with interest.
Show More
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.