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
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.
Our reviews of court files found that statements made by the arresting officers were repeatedly debunked by video footage.
From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026
Federal immigration agents were seen in the courthouse parking lot in Rancho Cucamonga around 9 a.m. and began arresting individuals as they left the building until about noon, advocates said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
These are poets who sought to alter the reader’s perception of reality by way of arresting, often sense-defying arrangements of language and imagery.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
The Metropolitan Police has said it will resume arresting protesters for supporting the proscribed group Palestine Action.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
At close range, though, they were an arresting party—at least to me, who had never seen anything like them, and to whom they suggested a variety of picturesque and fictive qualities.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
