compelling 1 of 2

adjective

kəm-ˈpe-liŋ How to pronounce compelling (audio)
Definition of compellingnext
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

compelling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of compel
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 show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of compelling
Adjective
True, nothing so grand as a massive dragon and naval battle took place, but seeing Rhaenyra start to change into someone almost unrecognizable from her younger, more innocent self was compelling in a deeper way. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026 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. — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
Verb
For two months, Democrats have forced a series of votes aimed at compelling the Administration to either wind down the conflict or seek authorization. — Nik Popli, Time, 30 Apr. 2026 On March 17, the House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena to Bondi, compelling her to sit for a deposition about the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files on April 14. — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for compelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compelling
  1. convincing
  2. urgent
  3. forcing
  4. conclusive
  5. acute
  6. coercing
  7. strong
  8. obliging
Adjective
  • The specificity and the completely convincing sense of place that the show evokes are exceptional — and all the more astonishing given that the series only shot for one actual day in Savannah.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 10 July 2026
  • Feldman said that evidence about Millete’s suspicious actions from the day after May’s disappearance was the strongest and most convincing.
    — Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026
Definition of convincing
Adjective
  • She can now only be reached through a regular phone line — a more costly option in a country where people rely heavily on WhatsApp for calls, messages, photos and urgent coordination.
    — Fatima Faizi, NPR, 10 July 2026
  • Season 3 begins with Captain Garnet (Christie Burke) splitting her crew to answer that urgent distress call, leaving the remaining members behind to defend Homebase 1 from the new planet's unknown secrets.
    — Paul Brett, Space.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of urgent
Verb
  • From here, the Manchester City defender sprints into the six-yard box to meet the corner, forcing a good save from Dominik Livakovic, with his team-mates unable to scramble the ball over the line.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • Meanwhile, raging forest fires and a red-alert heat wave are shaking up France’s biggest national holiday, forcing the cancellation of traditional fireworks and firefighters’ balls.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
Definition of forcing
Adjective
  • There’s no conclusive answer, and that’s something McElwee will have to live with.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 10 July 2026
  • Although rescuers had not detected conclusive signs of life, the operation continued under the watch of the child’s parents and grandmother.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
Definition of conclusive
Adjective
  • Reduction In High-Cost, Acute Utilization When therapy is ineffective or inaccessible, families often turn to more acute and costly services, like emergency departments, inpatient behavioral health settings or crisis interventions.
    — Jeff Beck, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • Maxton Bowman, 2, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia after months of unexplained symptoms.
    — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
Definition of acute
Verb
  • Travis Reed, who was a fire captain with the now-defunct Briar Volunteer Fire Department, admitted to coercing a minor into producing child pornography in September, according to a summary of facts in the case.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2026
  • The Justice Against Weaponized Bureaucratic Overreach to Networked Expression Act would prohibit federal agencies and employees from coercing or trying to coerce broadcasters and providers of online services or AI services into changing content.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 11 June 2026
Definition of coercing
Adjective
  • Beyond California, scientists are raising alarms over the planet’s warming oceans, which — coupled with a strong El Niño — could increase temperatures for land dwellers in the coming weeks.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Weather aside, Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture Week, running from July 6 to 9, will feature shows from 30 houses, compared with FW25’s 27-strong line-up.
    — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 6 July 2026
Definition of strong
Verb
  • The Swedish parliament on Monday adopted a law obliging public sector workers to report to the police any migrants who are not authorized to live in Sweden.
    — Claudia Ciobanu, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
  • The incident triggered a fire alarm, obliging the entire French delegation — some of whom were still in their pyjamas — to evacuate the building.
    — Tom Williams, New York Times, 17 May 2026
Definition of obliging

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Cite this Entry

“Compelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compelling. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of compelling for Spanish Speakers

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