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.
Several readers wrote to argue that, on balance, minivans offer families a more compelling mix of space, comfort, function, safety and efficiency.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025
Dorff also displays solid skills as a singer-songwriter, imbuing his talented character with a lived-in voice and a compelling mix of humility, commitment and confidence.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2017
The music she's produced has been a compelling mix of the familiar and the exploratory.
From The Verge • Mar. 22, 2016
Half Free is a set of electronic art-pop songs as unsettlingly desolate as they are dreamlike and seductive, a compelling mix of Ronnie Spector, Giorgio Moroder and Angelo Badalamenti.
From The Guardian • Oct. 19, 2015
There’s a strange and, for me, compelling mix of poise and exposure running through these lines.
From Slate • Apr. 8, 2014
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.
