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.
She doesn’t mean to be, she doesn’t take herself too seriously, but she happens to be very intelligent, so that combination of those two things makes her just appealing.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
Old, failed ideas have a way of appealing to young, naive people.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
The largely farming community - already struggling economically - is now appealing urgently to the government to help secure the safe return of the children.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
The stock now looks appealing after falling 32% this year to $85.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Gregarious and good-looking, kind to a fault, Lopsang was extremely cocky yet hugely appealing.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
