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

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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.
The gaps in the story are as compelling as the personal details. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 But with the Status Pro X, the design is just as compelling as the audio quality. — Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 8 July 2026 Popular interest in these drugs was driven less by emerging research than by the spread of compelling personal stories. — Dannell D. Boatman, The Conversation, 8 July 2026 The Test For Modern Leaders The most compelling leaders of 2026 and beyond are not necessarily the most vocal or the ones with the safest personalities. — Jon Michail, Forbes.com, 8 July 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

See All Rhymes for compelling

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 9 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tacit

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All