appealing

1 of 2

adjective

ap·​peal·​ing ə-ˈpē-liŋ 

1

: having appeal : pleasing

an appealing design

2

: marked by earnest entreaty : imploring

the appealing look of an injured dog

appealingly

ə-ˈpē-liŋ-lē 

adverb

appealing

2 of 2

present participle of appeal entry 2

Synonyms of appealing

Adjective

• attractive
• charming
• charismatic
• fascinating
• seductive
• enchanting

Examples of appealing in a Sentence

Adjective

a book with an appealing title

the idea of living on Mars is appealing to space enthusiasts

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

While the idea of slowly, safely developing a potentially society-breaking technology may sound appealing, the financial incentives may be too high for that to ever happen. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

While Witherspoon’s involvement and momentum as both star and producer made Hello Sunshine an appealing investment, the economics of the business grew more challenging due to ongoing changes in audio and streaming. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

The format itself is less appealing to many younger viewers, who prefer to watch clips of performances, acceptance speeches and red carpet walks on their phone rather than sit through a three-hour ceremony. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026

Still, there are signs that the technology is becoming more appealing and could spread quickly. — Scott Singer, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from present participle of appeal entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing appealing

• find appealing

Rhymes for appealing

• annealing
• concealing
• congealing
• freewheeling
• repealing
• revealing
• unfeeling
• ceiling
• dealing
• feeling
• healing
• heeling