as in interesting
holding the attention or provoking interest
an engrossing lecture on Native American culture before the arrival of Europeans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in intriguing
to hold the attention of
a mystery story that will engross readers all the way to the surprise ending
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of engrossing
Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Russo-Young revisits her family’s unique—and headline-making—history in this engrossing docuseries about her biological father, a gay sperm donor, suing for paternity rights, and the lawsuit that threatened her already vulnerable family.
—Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2025
Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
While completely different in subject and tone—one is about a missing baby, the other about an ambitious heist—the Swedish TV series Snow Angels and the South African geopolitical police procedural Leo are engrossing enough to distract from whatever’s troubling you now.
—Lisa Henricksson, airmail.news, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for engrossing
Adjective
The latter is best understood through passages told through the perspective of her father, which provides an engrossing, critical view of Chen as a daughter.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Russo-Young revisits her family’s unique—and headline-making—history in this engrossing docuseries about her biological father, a gay sperm donor, suing for paternity rights, and the lawsuit that threatened her already vulnerable family.
—Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2025
Verb
The rest of the album is engrossing film-score flotsam.
—Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
While completely different in subject and tone—one is about a missing baby, the other about an ambitious heist—the Swedish TV series Snow Angels and the South African geopolitical police procedural Leo are engrossing enough to distract from whatever’s troubling you now.
—Lisa Henricksson, airmail.news, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for engrossing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for engrossing
Adjective
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And Riera — who has arrived from NK Celje in Slovenia — is an interesting person.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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What’s interesting is the NBA has moved away from some events that either have become stale or manipulated, such as the skills competition giving way at next week’s All-Star Weekend.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Our guide to the best upcoming sci-fi movies in 2026 features a blockbuster mix of popular franchises, intriguing one-offs, and one of the greatest directors of all time heading back to alien visitation territory.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
31 Dec. 2025
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New York has intriguing young outfielders in Jasson Domínguez and Spencer jones, but Bellinger was the team's second best player in the lineup this season.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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These small pets’ active and engaging behavior, from zipping around the tank and finding places to hide in solo play to following movement outside the tank in interactive play, can keep a kid’s attention.—
Sierra Leone Starks,
Parents,
10 Feb. 2026
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Hadi tells an engaging story, brings complex and surprising characters to life, lends a locale an aesthetic iconography, and renders personal identity inextricable from the forces of history that shaped or deformed it.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Wilentz, author of the 2010 book Dylan in America, wrote Volume 18‘s detailed, often fascinating 125-page liner notes that provides historical context for the expansive eight-CD set.—
Glenn Peoples,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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However, the loud music combined with the lack of sound-absorbing materials in restaurants have made dining out a stressful event.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Movable acoustic drapes and sound-absorbing panels will let the theater be calibrated to the best sound for various styles of performances.—
Heather McRea,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But Carew’s main objective is to continue immersing himself ever deeper into his new craft.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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The new installment promises challenges across diverse locations, from navigating the Angolan desert in track vehicles to immersing in Malaysia’s automotive scene and testing American performance cars in California.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Engrossing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/engrossing. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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