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Synonyms

engaging

American  
[en-gey-jing] / ɛnˈgeɪ dʒɪŋ /

adjective

  1. winning; attractive; pleasing.

    an engaging smile.

    Synonyms:
    agreeable, charming

engaging British  
/ ɪnˈɡeɪdʒɪŋ /

adjective

  1. pleasing, charming, or winning

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of engaging

First recorded in 1665–75; engage + -ing 2

Explanation

A story, song, or person that is engaging is entertaining, fun, and interesting — you want to see or hear more. To remember the meaning of engaging, it might help to think of what engaged means. When a couple is engaged, they've agreed to get married. When something or somebody is engaging, you want to spend more time with them too. Boring is the complete opposite of engaging. Think of your favorite movie or TV show — especially one you can't stop watching — it must be very engaging.

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Vocabulary lists containing engaging

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.

See Examples For:

Another reason to stick with the book: Mr. Klosterman is an addictively engaging writer.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 18, 2026

"It's partially about the proposal itself, and partially about how the government has gone about this without engaging with the local community or looking at the feasibility of this site," he said.

From BBC Sep. 16, 2026

And some voices inside Iran were engaging in a bit of heresy.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 15, 2026

Coming after his visit to Spain, it highlights the pope's interest in engaging with historically Catholic but increasingly non-religious European countries that were largely overlooked by his predecessor, Francis.

From Barron's

“Other teachers report that the boy is modest, likable, and reasonably talented. Personally, I find him an engaging child.”

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

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