- present participle of intrigue.
intriguing
Britishadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Explanation
Intriguing things or people arouse curiosity and have an indescribable draw. If you find the night sky intriguing and enjoy pondering the limitlessness of the universe, you should consider becoming an astronomer. When this adjective was first recorded in the 1600’s, anything intriguing had something to do with “tricking, deceiving, or cheating.” It wasn't until much later that intriguing lost its sinister sense and became simply a word to describe something with alluring mystery. Synonyms for intriguing run the gamut from captivating and delightful to riveting and titillating.
Vocabulary lists containing intriguing
Walk Two Moons
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12 More Interesting Ways to Say "interesting"
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Pay Attention! Synonyms for "Interesting"
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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.
There is one intriguing thread that leads to a largely invisible Fellowship leader said to be influential with Michigan Republicans and, allegedly, unnamed Democrats.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026
But perhaps most intriguing was his revelation that players still have the opportunity to break into the starting XI for the opening World Cup game versus Croatia.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
One of the most intriguing questions is whether individual cellular clocks communicate with one another during development.
From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026
One intriguing aspect of the deal is the potential for Berkshire to integrate some of Taylor Morrison’s business with site-based operations of Berkshire’s Clayton Homes unit, the leader in manufactured housing.
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026
Whether a wing’d and feather’d Cicero might someday hatch from an egg was an intriguing question.
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.
