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
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Recent Examples of compelling
Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Colorado must show that its ban on conversion therapy is narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling state interest.
—Timothy R. Holbrook, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2025
This approach would have put unions on the defensive, compelling them to confront the state’s dire financial realities.
—Frank Ricci, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Adjective
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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Colorado must show that its ban on conversion therapy is narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling state interest.
—Timothy R. Holbrook, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
In season four, Mike’s control over Kingstown is threatened as new players compete to fill the power vacuum left in the Russians’ wake, compelling him to confront the resulting gang war and stop them from swallowing the town.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2025
This approach would have put unions on the defensive, compelling them to confront the state’s dire financial realities.
—Frank Ricci, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compelling
Adjective
-
The Bulls, now younger and without convincing direction, are continuing to seek identity.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The 8 x 60’ series will be shot in Ireland and Hamilton, Ontario, which Donovan described as a convincing stand-in for 1920s Chicago.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Butler told the group modular homes could fill an urgent need for new construction in rural areas.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Oct. 2025
-
And yet the problems seem urgent; some studies have plausibly linked the increasing rates of teen depression and anxiety to the spread of social media.—
Belinda Luscombe,
Time,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
An enormous hole opens up in the ceiling of Linda’s apartment, flooding the place and forcing her and her daughter to relocate to a motel.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
-
In late August, hackers hit luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover’s operations, forcing its factories in the United Kingdom to shut down for weeks.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In this framework, the new recommendations are actively harmful, and not grounded in conclusive research.—
Dr. Sunny Patel,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The publication also noted that despite there being no conclusive evidence that Assata was directly to blame for the death of Foerster, New Jersey law stated that everyone involved was equally responsible for the murder.—
Chris Barilla,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Timely treatment of acute illnesses and consistent management of chronic conditions or special needs are also vital to prevent deterioration and long-term consequences into adulthood.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
On April 22, Carlos Gonzalez-Hernandez died of acute renal failure.—
Ryan Murphy,
IndyStar,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Other charges dismissed as part of an April plea agreement included two counts of persuading or coercing a minor to engage in prostitution.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The statute allows students to reflect, meditate, pray, or sit quietly by individual choice, but prohibits schools from coercing students into any particular activity.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, while vision isn’t their strongest sense, dogs may even be able to see certain aspects of a TV show.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The young right-hander put together a strong season, but few were better after the All-Star break.—
Sahadev Sharma,
New York Times,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Vance and his family reportedly stayed in a lavish Georgian manor owned by a light-bulb magnate, obliging me to ask whose bright idea that was.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Compelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compelling. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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