- present participle of compel.
compelling
Americanadjective
-
tending to compel, as to force or push toward a course of action; overpowering.
There were compelling reasons for their divorce.
-
having a powerful and irresistible effect; requiring acute admiration, attention, or respect.
a man of compelling integrity; a compelling drama.
adjective
-
arousing or denoting strong interest, esp admiring interest
-
(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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25 Words from "Baseball and Black History"
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Word Generation Social Studies - Ancient Civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome
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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.
Doubts over Gabriel's physicality persisted, but his performances at under-21 level made a compelling argument he was ready.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
Saying all of this broadly without context would be an argument as compelling as Iñárritu’s — which is to say, not very.
From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026
“The idea was to build a character as compelling and impactful as, say, Thor in the Marvel universe,” says King, the “Lanterns” co-creator, during a recent video call.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026
Hartnett’s hunch appears to be playing out as several other commentators in the market have also decided the yields on offer in fixed-income markets are compelling.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
That’s what makes it so compelling and—to be frank—terrifying.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
