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Synonyms

engaging

American  
[en-gey-jing] / ɛnˈgeɪ dʒɪŋ /

adjective

  1. winning; attractive; pleasing.

    an engaging smile.

    Synonyms:
    agreeable, charming

engaging British  
/ ɪnˈɡeɪdʒɪŋ /

adjective

  1. pleasing, charming, or winning

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of engaging

First recorded in 1665–75; engage + -ing 2

Explanation

A story, song, or person that is engaging is entertaining, fun, and interesting — you want to see or hear more. To remember the meaning of engaging, it might help to think of what engaged means. When a couple is engaged, they've agreed to get married. When something or somebody is engaging, you want to spend more time with them too. Boring is the complete opposite of engaging. Think of your favorite movie or TV show — especially one you can't stop watching — it must be very engaging.

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Vocabulary lists containing engaging

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.

See Examples For:

The text also demonstrates "an interest in engaging Congress to broaden constituencies of support for the partnership", said Threlkeld.

From Barron's Jul. 17, 2026

“Can I be more engaging and empathetic?” she says she might ask Claude.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 17, 2026

There’s no point in engaging with a debt-management company in order to get rid of this $35,000 if you don’t do some serious soul-searching about how you got into this hole in the first place.

From MarketWatch Jul. 17, 2026

McElwee has often pondered the downside of essentially treating himself like a human camera, observing the world rather than fully engaging in it.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 16, 2026

If you can create the right framework, all of a sudden, engaging in the kind of fluid, effortless, spur-of-the-moment dialogue that makes for good improv theater becomes a lot easier.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

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