1
as in convincing
having the power to persuade
made a compelling argument against military intervention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in urgent
needing immediate attention
no compelling need to raise taxes at this time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in forcing
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
public opinion compelled her to fire her scandal-plagued aide
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of compelling
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
Nevertheless, he was already being asked to clear a very high bar by making an Alien television series, since the first two movies in the franchise are universally beloved and have compelling arguments as the all-time greatest horror and action film, respectively.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories
In his statement, Lawn went on to reaffirm the company’s commitment to safety.
—Maria Pasquini, People.com, 25 July 2025
Whether through cultural celebration or a tribute to urban sports culture, the July drops reflect Tier’s evolving mission: to create pieces that are both visually compelling and grounded in meaning.
—Essence, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Adjective
While the enormity of the cast means some of the characters inevitably go underdeveloped, performances are compelling across the board.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
Nevertheless, he was already being asked to clear a very high bar by making an Alien television series, since the first two movies in the franchise are universally beloved and have compelling arguments as the all-time greatest horror and action film, respectively.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories
In his statement, Lawn went on to reaffirm the company’s commitment to safety.
—Maria Pasquini, People.com, 25 July 2025
Whether through cultural celebration or a tribute to urban sports culture, the July drops reflect Tier’s evolving mission: to create pieces that are both visually compelling and grounded in meaning.
—Essence, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compelling
Adjective
-
Still need convincing that this should be your next vacation destination?—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Ronny Henriquez, Tyler Phillips and Calvin Faucher came shut down Aaron Boone’s offense in a convincing and lifeless fashion.—
James Oconnell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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His casual snapshots have now become a visual cornerstone of an exhibition that combines intimate family history with urgent environmental commentary.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Between 19 million and 23 million tons of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems annually, which could jump 50% by 2040 without urgent action, according to the UN.—
Jennifer McDermott,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But to date, there is no conclusive evidence that RL endows LLMs with reasoning capabilities that generalize beyond easily verifiable domains like math and coding.—
Rob Toews,
Forbes.com,
10 Aug. 2025
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The rest died from sea star wasting disease, providing the conclusive evidence the team needed, Prentice says.—
Andrea Tamayo,
Scientific American,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Hogan died of acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, PEOPLE confirmed on Thursday, July 31.—
Julie Mazziotta,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
His cause of death has been confirmed as acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack.—
William Cornwell,
The Conversation,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Pressuring or coercing someone into ending their life would be punishable by up to 14 years in prison.—
Alistair Smout,
USA TODAY,
29 Nov. 2024
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That same sentence will remain for anyone found guilty of tricking, pressuring or coercing someone into making the choice if the bill is ultimately passed.—
David Hodari,
NBC News,
29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.—
National Geographic,
National Geographic,
13 Jan. 2023
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According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.—
Elliot Hughes,
Journal Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2023
Verb
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By forcing his posts to the top of feeds, elevating like-minded voices, and driving critics off the platform, Musk revealed the raw power of ownership.—
Jackie Snow,
Quartz,
14 Apr. 2025
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So what’s driving the need for these changes?—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Compelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compelling. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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