arresting
Americanadjective
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attracting or capable of attracting attention or interest; striking.
an arresting smile.
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making or having made an arrest.
the arresting officer.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of arresting
Explanation
Something arresting commands your attention. It's stunning, and you can't turn away. When the police arrest someone, they capture them. Likewise, when something is arresting, it captures your attention because it is so sensational. An arresting sight — like the Grand Canyon — makes you want to keep looking at it for hours. An arresting song is one you always want to hear. An arresting story is captivating and engrossing. Something arresting is not only entertaining; it's mesmerizing.
Vocabulary lists containing arresting
"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
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Pay Attention! Synonyms for "Interesting"
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"Politics and the English Language" by George Orwell
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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.
That changed last year, attorneys said in the motion, citing an email from ICE headquarters in late May 2025 instructing field offices to begin arresting “collaterals,” or nontargets, en masse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
He is protected by thousands of Indigenous supporters who have so far prevented police from arresting him.
From Barron's ● Jun. 20, 2026
“Beauties” is more arresting on a number of levels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
Both men and women had taken to the streets days after local Taliban government officials reportedly began arresting women perceived to be "improperly wearing the hijab".
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
Neither he nor any part of the arresting party secured the house or collected any evidence.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
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.
