- present participle of compel.
compelling
Americanadjective
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tending to compel, as to force or push toward a course of action; overpowering.
There were compelling reasons for their divorce.
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having a powerful and irresistible effect; requiring acute admiration, attention, or respect.
a man of compelling integrity; a compelling drama.
adjective
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arousing or denoting strong interest, esp admiring interest
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(of an argument, evidence, etc) convincing
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of compelling
Explanation
Compelling means attractive, or irresistible, or really, really convincing. You know your argument for backpacking across Europe is compelling when your parents not only let you go but also pay for all your expenses. To compel is to drive or force into action –– the way the fear of being grounded might compel you to come home before your curfew. A compelling argument compels you to agree with its logic –– it's irresistible. If you decide to run for class president, you'll need to write a compelling speech about why students should vote for you.
Vocabulary lists containing compelling
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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.
"One of the reasons this is so compelling is that it has a Swiss Army-knife quality -- it can be applied in a wide range of settings," Vahala says.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026
The problem was that the 37-year-old assemblywoman couldn’t quite manage to assemble a compelling narrative from all those memorable, resonant elements.
From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026
But she also knows it’s that journey of understanding that makes “Ted Lasso” so compelling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
With Canada this summer, scary pictures won out over compelling statistics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
He did not forget the Barrow, nor the message of Gandalf; but something seemed to be compelling him to disregard all warnings, and he longed to yield.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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.
