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
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
No pharmaceutical company, no academic medical center, and no government agency has found the existing preclinical data compelling enough to fund a rigorous human trial in over 30 years.
—Vikas Patel, STAT, 3 Apr. 2026
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Adjective
But this was the first time this season that Wembanyama was available for one of the most compelling head-to-head matchups in basketball.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
No pharmaceutical company, no academic medical center, and no government agency has found the existing preclinical data compelling enough to fund a rigorous human trial in over 30 years.
—Vikas Patel, STAT, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
Former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown was hosting a roundtable featuring seven Ohioans sharing stories about the financial pain that bloated health-care costs had inflicted on their families, compelling them to scale back their medical care.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compelling
Adjective
-
How Deborah sets the record straight, once and for all, may not be as convincing as some may hope, but the spirit of her choice matters more than the specifics.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Mistaking a Replica for a Real Antique Replicas of antiques are so good nowadays, with stores like HomeGoods and Anthropologie often selling convincing dupes.—
Shelby Deering,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For now, the need for RAM's clinics remains urgent and growing.—
Brit McCandless Farmer,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The urgent need to rearm following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and an apparent fracturing of relations within NATO mean Europe must become more self-sufficient in its defense production.—
Sam Meredith,Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For small trucking companies, the increases are forcing difficult decisions.—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of viewing constraints as blockers (budget, time, market conditions), treat them as forcing functions that sharpen decision-making.—
Lisa Song Sutton,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
To be clear, there is little credible scholarly evidence that EdTech, in general, improves learning outcomes, and no conclusive evidence that generative AI improves learning outcomes over traditional human teaching.—
Dr. Timothy Scott,
Hartford Courant,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Key Takeaways Taking vitamin C supplements daily may slightly lower blood pressure, but results are not conclusive.—
Vanessa Caceres,
Verywell Health,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Jackson died from acute propofol intoxication in 2009 having been accused of improper relationships with three boys.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The route adds 10 days and increases costs by about 25%, at a time when over 19 million Sudanese face acute food insecurity.—
SAM MEDNICK,
Arkansas Online,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Indonesia responded the following day by coercing the UDT and APODETI, among others, into issuing and signing the Balibo Declaration, which proclaimed the integration of East Timor into Indonesia.—
Agathe Demarolle,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Royal Bahamian police said Brian Hooker told investigators that his wife fell over from an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy — along with the keys to the boat — and she was carried away by strong rip currents.—
Cristian Benavides,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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The National Weather Service says strong winds could generate breaking waves of 8 feet causing dune erosion and road overwash.—
Mark Price
April 8,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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 10 Apr. 2026.
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