compelling

[ kuhm-pel-ing ]
See synonyms for compelling on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. tending to compel, as to force or push toward a course of action; overpowering: There were compelling reasons for their divorce.

  2. having a powerful and irresistible effect; requiring acute admiration, attention, or respect: a man of compelling integrity; a compelling drama.

Origin of compelling

1
First recorded in 1490–1500; compel + -ing2

Other words from compelling

  • un·com·pel·ling, adjective

Words Nearby compelling

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use compelling in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for compelling

compelling

/ (kəmˈpɛlɪŋ) /


adjective
  1. arousing or denoting strong interest, esp admiring interest

  2. (of an argument, evidence, etc) convincing

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012