compelling

adjective

com·​pel·​ling kəm-ˈpe-liŋ How to pronounce compelling (audio)
Synonyms of compelling
: that compels: such as
a
: forceful
a compelling personality
a compelling desire
b
: demanding attention
for compelling reasons
The novel was so compelling that I couldn't put it down.
c
: convincing
no compelling evidence
compellingly adverb

Synonyms of compelling

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Examples of compelling in a Sentence

The novel was so compelling that I couldn't put it down. He made a compelling argument. I would need a very compelling reason to leave my job. She had a compelling need to share what she had heard.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yet Schore makes a compelling case that the greatest opportunity for reclaiming time isn't found by reorganizing schedules but by managing the internal conversations that quietly consume them. — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026 There are moments in football that are sudden and instantly compelling. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026 What’s crucially lacking here is a particularly compelling sense of Reagan and Gorbachev as human characters. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026 That’s an incredibly compelling thought today, and perhaps a way forward for anyone struggling to cope with current events. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for compelling

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of compel

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of compelling was in 1606

Rhymes for compelling

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Browse Nearby Words

compellent
compelling
compend
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Compelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compelling. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Legal Definition

compelling

adjective
: that compels : tending to demand action or to convince
a compelling need for disclosure
a compelling argument

More from Merriam-Webster on compelling

Nglish: Translation of compelling for Spanish Speakers

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