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.
-
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
- uncompelling adjective
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
100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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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.
Lana Sinapayen added, "Even if life elsewhere is fundamentally different from life on Earth, its large-scale effects, such as spreading and modifying planets, may still leave detectable traces. That's what makes this approach compelling."
From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026
They are routinely and religiously suppressing those who are trying to make a better and more compelling case.
From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026
Last November, Trump signed into law legislation passed by Congress compelling the justice department to release all of the material from its investigations into Epstein.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
What did you find compelling about playing that aspect of Sam?
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026
Its flat, snakelike eyes stared into his, compelling him.
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
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.
