- present participle of intrigue.
intriguing
Britishadjective
Other Word Forms
Explanation
Intriguing things or people arouse curiosity and have an indescribable draw. If you find the night sky intriguing and enjoy pondering the limitlessness of the universe, you should consider becoming an astronomer. When this adjective was first recorded in the 1600’s, anything intriguing had something to do with “tricking, deceiving, or cheating.” It wasn't until much later that intriguing lost its sinister sense and became simply a word to describe something with alluring mystery. Synonyms for intriguing run the gamut from captivating and delightful to riveting and titillating.
Vocabulary lists containing intriguing
Walk Two Moons
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12 More Interesting Ways to Say "interesting"
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Pay Attention! Synonyms for "Interesting"
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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.
Intriguing new opportunities to cut the federal workforce.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
Intriguing updates emerged on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra’s campaign website on Tuesday.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
Intriguing signs of accelerated aging during pregnancy emerged last year.
From Science Magazine • Mar. 22, 2024
Intriguing hints from several other faults, including Saddle Mountain, Olympia and Tacoma, suggested they also ruptured around then.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 27, 2023
Intriguing candidates will go about among those who have not the means to pay the direct tax and pay it for them, on condition of receiving their votes.
From The Writings Of Thomas Paine, Volume III. 1791-1804 by Paine, Thomas
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.
