compelling
adjective
com·pel·ling
kəm-ˈpe-liŋ 
: 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
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
After all, the story is so endlessly compelling that people are still discussing and dissecting it 200 years later.
—
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
The Lesson Hiding in Museum Storage Rooms Perhaps the most compelling thread running through this story is one that should give any lover of history a thrill.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
But the movie’s artful direction, nimble structure, visual richness and impeccable performances make for something full-bodied, compelling and deeply affecting, its melancholy beauty lingering long after the end credits roll.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Yet, ironically, those visual flourishes — the plaid of a sportscoat, the myriad orange folds of a 1973 turtleneck — often prove more compelling than the drama itself.
—Ben Croll, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compelling
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Angelique Jackson, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
The Lesson Hiding in Museum Storage Rooms Perhaps the most compelling thread running through this story is one that should give any lover of history a thrill.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
But the movie’s artful direction, nimble structure, visual richness and impeccable performances make for something full-bodied, compelling and deeply affecting, its melancholy beauty lingering long after the end credits roll.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Yet, ironically, those visual flourishes — the plaid of a sportscoat, the myriad orange folds of a 1973 turtleneck — often prove more compelling than the drama itself.
—Ben Croll, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Cite this Entry
“Compelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compelling. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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