arresting
Americanadjective
-
attracting or capable of attracting attention or interest; striking.
an arresting smile.
-
making or having made an arrest.
the arresting officer.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- arrestingly adverb
- nonarresting adjective
- unarresting adjective
Etymology
Origin of arresting
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 2025 US State Department Report on human trafficking accused the government of failing to make significant efforts to eliminate it, never arresting or prosecuting a suspected scam compound operator or owner.
From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026
“By arresting Villarreal, rather than solely disciplining the employee for any wrongdoing, county officials took this ‘everyday journalism’ and transformed it ‘into a crime,’ ” she wrote.
From Slate • Mar. 26, 2026
Immigration authorities are arresting more of these moms in the first place, but that doesn’t account for all of the surge in deportations.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
His best-known series of sculptures, “Future Relics,” is visually arresting, featuring crumbling, ruin-like replicas of everyday objects including cameras, phones and CD players.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
As soon as Johnny heard that arresting parties were on the streets, he sent a message to Uncle Lorne.
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
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.
