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Synonyms

fetching

American  
[fech-ing] / ˈfɛtʃ ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. charming; captivating.


fetching British  
/ ˈfɛtʃɪŋ /

adjective

  1. attractively befitting

    a fetching hat

  2. charming

    a fetching personality

"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 fetching

First recorded in 1875–80; fetch 1 + -ing 2

Explanation

To be fetching is to be attractive and beautitful. A fetching woman catches people's interest. When a dog fetches something, he grabs it, just like attractive sights take your interest. Fetching is a word for sights that capture your interest because of their beauty. Usually, this word applies to females: you're most likely to read about a lovely, fetching woman. A beautiful woman who everyone looks at is fetching: she grabs their attention. You could also say other things, like a gorgeous mountain or a well-designed building, are fetching if they grab your attention.

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Vocabulary lists containing fetching

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.

It was fetching just 15-times expected earnings for fiscal 2026 as of Tuesday’s closing bell, well below its five-year average.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

Photos seen by the BBC show a crowd of people, many of them elderly, apparently fetching fresh supplies in a city square.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Through Stacy’s fetching sadness, we come to know that maybe a certain motivational speaker was right.

From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026

Khan’s younger son fell for Durrushehvar’s fetching cousin, and so the two couples wed in Nice in 1931 in an elaborate wedding before taking ship for Hyderabad.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

“You can start by fetching me some firewood,” said Gran.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

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