appealing
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of appealing
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; appeal + -ing 2
Explanation
The adjective appealing describes someone who is able to attract interest or is easy to like. For example, your easy sense of humor and way of making people feel comfortable make you appealing to friends old and new. If you are appealing, people want to be around you. It might be that you are really nice, or a good listener, not to mention have good looks. Actors who are appealing tend to get a lot of parts because filmmakers know audiences will flock to see them, just as an appealing description of a dish on a menu will lead more people to order it. This something is appealing, it is — or will be — popular.
Vocabulary lists containing appealing
Call of Beauty: Synonyms for "Beautiful"
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Workshop 1, Part 2
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Freakonomics
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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.
The stock looks even more appealing now, trading at a forward PE of just over 22 times, according to FactSet.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
For some participants, one of the most appealing parts of the approach was that it did not require pills, surgery, braces, or a device worn all day.
From Science Daily • May 22, 2026
After World War II, the American military was more professionalized, and by the 1970s, the unpopularity of the Vietnam War made military school less appealing.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
“On the risk side, the challenge is that these flavors can be appealing to children. And even if these products are less risky than cigarettes, no kids should be initiating on these products.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
The idea was simple and appealing, but not easy to prove.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
