Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

compelling

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of compelling

1 having the power to persuade

  • made a compelling argument against military intervention
Synonyms of compelling

cogent, conclusive, convincing, decisive, effective, forceful, persuasive, satisfying, strong, telling
Words Related to compelling

authoritative, definitive

sound, valid, well-founded

important, significant, weighty

material, pertinent, relevant
Near Antonyms of compelling

groundless, invalid, shaky, unfounded, unsound

inconsequential, insignificant, unimportant

immaterial, irrelevant

feeble, weak
Antonyms of compelling

inconclusive, indecisive, ineffective, uncompelling, unconvincing, unpersuasive

2 needing immediate attention

  • no compelling need to raise taxes at this time
Synonyms of compelling

acute, burning, clamant, critical, crying, dire, emergent, exigent, imperative, imperious, importunate, instant, necessitous, pressing, urgent
Words Related to compelling

demanding, extreme, immediate, insistent, intense, overriding

crucial, desperate, grave, life-and-death (also life-or-death), serious, severe, vital

dangerous, explosive, hazardous, perilous, precarious, unstable
Near Antonyms of compelling

incidental, low-pressure, minor, negligible, trivial, unimportant

nonthreatening, safe, stable
Antonyms of compelling

noncritical, nonurgent

Learn More about compelling

  1. See words that rhyme with compelling Dictionary: Definition of compelling Spanish Central: Translation of compelling Nglish: Translation of compelling for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of compelling for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up compelling? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

susurrous

full of whispering sounds

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. gaslight It is a word, though.

  2. invasion CNN reporter questions President.

  3. relevancy Ariana Grande slams ex-fiancé.

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games