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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Workshop 1, Part 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Freakonomics
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
He said he’s appealing to foundations and socially-minded tech leaders.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
Schmidt’s concern is that because China’s models are open weight, they will clearly be more appealing to consumers in less-wealthy countries who cannot afford the more expensive, closed Western models.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026
Black and white answers may be appealing, but the truth is there are many factors at play.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
AM arrived in cars in the 1920s as an appealing value-added feature, but nowadays it is a liability for the automakers’ EVs because the signal can interfere with certain systems and requires special shielding.
From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2026
“Can’t it—?” began Mrs. Weasley with an appealing look at Bill.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
