arresting
Americanadjective
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attracting or capable of attracting attention or interest; striking.
an arresting smile.
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making or having made an arrest.
the arresting officer.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of arresting
Explanation
Something arresting commands your attention. It's stunning, and you can't turn away. When the police arrest someone, they capture them. Likewise, when something is arresting, it captures your attention because it is so sensational. An arresting sight — like the Grand Canyon — makes you want to keep looking at it for hours. An arresting song is one you always want to hear. An arresting story is captivating and engrossing. Something arresting is not only entertaining; it's mesmerizing.
Vocabulary lists containing arresting
"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
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Pay Attention! Synonyms for "Interesting"
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"Politics and the English Language" by George Orwell
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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.
“If government is out there arresting people, taking pictures of them,” McMichael said, “we should be able to access that.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
For much of its history, the ICC didn’t bother those countries as it concentrated on arresting suspects and obtaining convictions in its African cases.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Southeast Asia's biggest economy has long battled corruption in its public and private sectors despite strengthening anti-graft laws, creating special investigative commissions and arresting several high profile people.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
A California federal judge on Thursday signaled that she is likely to order immigration agents to stop arresting people without warrants unless they determine they are likely to escape.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
And though military boot camp had been the model, it was arresting this time around to see how much it really was like prison.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
