interesting
Americanadjective
-
engaging or exciting and holding the attention or curiosity.
an interesting book.
- Synonyms:
- entertaining, absorbing
- Antonyms:
- dull
-
arousing a feeling of interest.
an interesting face.
idioms
adjective
Usage
What are other ways to say interesting? A person or a thing that is interesting arouses a feeling of curiosity or concern, or is engaging and exciting. But interesting isn’t quite the same as pleasing or gratifying. Find out why on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
- interestingly adverb
- interestingness noun
- uninteresting adjective
- uninterestingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of interesting
Explanation
When you're giving a speech, you probably hope that your audience is gazing at you in fascination because what you're saying is so interesting, and not because you've got something weird on your face. The adjective interesting describes something that makes you curious, or catches your attention, but sometimes people use the word in a doubtful way when they are taken aback but want to be polite. Like if your grandmother looks at your new tattoo and says, "Well, that's certainly interesting!" Chances are she's not actually feeling very enthusiastic about your choice of body art.
Vocabulary lists containing interesting
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.
“So talk, unless the fake narrative that you’re creating happens to be way more interesting than the truth, I have nothing to hide when it comes to you and me.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
Unfortunately, where they don’t fit is also often where their most interesting properties lie.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
Dr Michel Dugon, a zoologist at the University of Galway, said the figures are "interesting" but "not surprising".
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
Commercial infrastructure is the least priced-in segment and the most structurally interesting.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
“Perhaps your pupils would like to go with them? It’s full of interesting smells.”
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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.
