interesting

adjective

in·​ter·​est·​ing ˈin-t(ə-)rə-stiŋ  ˈin-tə-ˌre- 

ˈin-ˌtre-;

ˈin-tər-

: holding the attention : arousing interest

interestingness noun

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The Pronunciation and History of Interesting

There are a number of ways to say interesting. It can have three syllables or four; it can have an accent only on the first syllable, or it can also have a secondary accent on the "res"; the first "e" can get ignored, resulting in a second syllable of "tres" rhyming with dress; or the second "e" can be ignored, resulting in a syllable that sounds like terse. All of these various pronunciations are well-established and occur in the speech of educated, native speakers of English.

The word interesting originally meant "of concern"; it was a synonym of important. It comes from the verb interest, which in its original use meant "to induce or persuade to participate or engage." If you were interested in something, you were not willing to be a bystander; you felt the need to participate or engage.

Synonyms

• intriguing
• fascinating
• engaging
• exciting
• absorbing

Examples of interesting in a Sentence

This is one of the most interesting books I've read all year.

It will be interesting to see how she decides to spend the money.

This building has an interesting history.

I don't find politics very interesting.

I found it interesting to learn that she had once lived in California.

Most of what he said wasn't interesting to me.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Gilded Age is so interesting because some elements feel modern, while others seem way older and more foreign than only a century and a half ago. —Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 23 June 2025

Published on June 22, 2025 Oban Welcome to Taste Test, where every week our critic Jonah Flicker explores the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 22 June 2025

If that's the case, the Braves have some very interesting trade chips, including multiple superstars. —Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025

Robot combat just got a lot more interesting in Hangzhou, China. —Staff, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for interesting

• uninteresting

Kids Definition

interesting

adjective

in·​ter·​est·​ing ˈin-trəst-iŋ  ˈint-ə-ˌrest-iŋ 

-ə-rəst-,

-ərst-

: holding the attention : arousing interest