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
Will Stone, NPR, 6 Mar. 2026
Under Lin-Manuel Miranda’s direction, the film is a lovely and compelling exploration of the artist’s journey with a top-notch lead performance from Andrew Garfield.
—Rachel Simon, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Stephen Groves, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
In season four, Mike’s (Renner) 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.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Adjective
The most compelling data come from large population studies out of Finland, a country of about 5 million that famously boasts more than 3 million saunas.
—Will Stone, NPR, 6 Mar. 2026
Under Lin-Manuel Miranda’s direction, the film is a lovely and compelling exploration of the artist’s journey with a top-notch lead performance from Andrew Garfield.
—Rachel Simon, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
The contempt proceedings are an initial step toward a criminal prosecution by the Department of Justice that, if successful, could send the Clintons to prison in a dispute over compelling them to testify before the House Oversight Committee.
—Stephen Groves, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
In season four, Mike’s (Renner) 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.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compelling
Adjective
-
So to a Pentagon person, is that convincing?—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Recovering from a 2-0 deficit at home to West Ham to win 3-2 had been a good example in the Premier League too, but securing such a convincing win after going behind inside two minutes at Aston Villa makes this Rosenior’s best Premier League win to date.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Dog walkers recently stumbled across strange-looking footprints on a Scottish beach — a discovery that triggered an urgent archaeological excavation.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
8 Mar. 2026
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Those specialists estimated the building needs $329 million in urgent repairs and more than $1 billion over 20 years for full modernization.—
Devyani Chhetri,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Instead of forcing lasers to synchronize phases, the lantern simply merges their outputs efficiently.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
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The strikes on Chiyah were followed by more airstrikes on nearby areas, forcing Lebanese troops to close roads where al-Qard al-Hasan branches are located to ensure people's safety.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As of Saturday night, after Maxey took that nasty spill in the waning moments of the Philadelphia 76ers’ 125-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, there wasn’t anything conclusive on his status.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Meta and other tech firms have long argued publicly that there is no conclusive evidence linking social media to addiction or other mental health challenges.—
CNN,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
According to medical records obtained by EW at the time of Hulk's death, the pro wrestler died of acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Mar. 2026
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The company in recent years expanded into blood disorders with the approval of its gene-editing treatment Casgevy and acute pain with its drug Journavx.—
Angelica Peebles,
CNBC,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Meyers is also accused of coercing the 15-year-old into recording the high school’s wrestling team, the complaint alleges.—
Brittany Kubicko,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
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Guevara and two colleagues, Mason and then-Detective Ernest Halvorson, orchestrated a frame-up by coercing one witness to identify Rios by beating him with a phone book and flashlight, and another by threatening to charge him with obstruction, according to the plaintiffs’ allegations.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
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Tokyo has shown no interest in military involvement, but some experts believe the conflict could bolster Takaichi's push for a stronger military and expanded weapons sales.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In civil aerospace, for example, Rolls is benefiting as manufacturers Airbus and Boeing struggle to deliver new aircraft at the pace the market requires — obliging airlines to keep flying old planes (and their engines) for longer.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
25 Feb. 2026
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Black has sometimes driven for miles to a particular cemetery only to find a funeral under way, obliging him to leave empty-handed.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Compelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compelling. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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