- 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.
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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
-
(of an argument, evidence, etc) convincing
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
Mr. Goodspeed presents a compelling argument that recessions are not fated, and that they are becoming shorter and less frequent.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
What it will do is give those subject to it a compelling incentive to do everything they can to avoid it.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
Without a compelling story for her powerful but poorly understood role, Feldstein Soto often struggled to explain her achievements in office.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
"It used to be that in the battle for attention, what counted was not only do you have a compelling message, but can you deliver?" he asks.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
Like the photograph of the spider-dancer, Mrs. Richardson found this perturbing but strangely compelling.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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.
