- present participle of intrigue.
intriguing
Britishadjective
Other Word 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
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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.
It is undeniable they stand at an intriguing point in their development, however.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
The research also raises intriguing questions about bacterial evolution, including how such an elaborate defense arose and whether type VI retrons represent an earlier, later, or intermediate stage in the evolution of these immune systems.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026
So the idea of going all-in on fun-size bars is intriguing: You can save money and be the coolest house on the block?
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026
Small but intriguing shows such as this are a mainstay of New York University’s Institute for the Study of the Ancient World.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Several intriguing artifacts were found with Mallory’s remains, but Anker’s astonishing discovery raised more questions than it answered.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
