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
Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 30 June 2025
When the drivers were on the course, the racing was compelling.
—Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
Beever-Jones, who has scored four goals in three England games, Grace Clinton and Michelle Agyemang are all compelling options to use from the bench and the blend of youth and experience feels right.
—Nancy Froston, New York Times, 30 June 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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
—Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Adjective
Through the launch of Pyrex Vision, Off-White, and his later appointment at Louis Vuitton, Givhan urges readers to engage with the many facets that embodied Virgil, the designer who was also an adept listener, watcher, and one of the most compelling figures to ever exist in the fashion industry.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 30 June 2025
When the drivers were on the course, the racing was compelling.
—Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
Beever-Jones, who has scored four goals in three England games, Grace Clinton and Michelle Agyemang are all compelling options to use from the bench and the blend of youth and experience feels right.
—Nancy Froston, New York Times, 30 June 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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
—Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compelling
Adjective
-
Hallucinations, when models generate convincing but false information, can mislead decision-making and create legal exposure.—
Shane Buckley,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
Yet performances have not always been convincing and results have begun to suffer.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
In response, researchers and experts are sounding the alarm—calling for urgent, comprehensive solutions to reverse these trends and support youth wellbeing.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
30 June 2025
-
Too Much Going On Limits Executive Team Performance Today’s executive teams are pulled in more directions than ever—global priorities, cross-functional initiatives, urgent issues, never-ending decks.—
Elizabeth Freedman,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
The series had a rather shocking ending, and in some ways, seemed pretty conclusive.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
Those observations proved less conclusive than had been hoped, but during the rest of the voyage, Cook was able to map the coastland of New Zealand before sailing west to the southeastern coast of Australia—the first record of Europeans on the continent's Eastern coastline.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Since then, Ben & Jerry’s politics have been a headache for its parent, and the tensions between the two have grown more acute as the business community got swept into the culture wars — first pulled to the left in the mid-2010s, then retreating rightward under the second Trump administration.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
30 June 2025
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Decades later, that feeling is more acute: the gay beach in Chicago where it was taken no longer exists, memorialized today by a 2.5-acre garden in memory of those who lost their lives to AIDS.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
29 June 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
So what’s driving the need for these changes?—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Compelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compelling. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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