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
Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
But the movie’s artful direction, nimble structure, visual richness and impeccable performances make for something full-bodied, compelling and deeply affecting, its melancholy beauty lingering long after the end credits roll.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Al Weaver, The Hill, 19 Nov. 2025
The House is set to vote next week on a contentious bill compelling the release of all the Justice Department’s Jeffrey Epstein case files.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Adjective
The Lesson Hiding in Museum Storage Rooms Perhaps the most compelling thread running through this story is one that should give any lover of history a thrill.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
But the movie’s artful direction, nimble structure, visual richness and impeccable performances make for something full-bodied, compelling and deeply affecting, its melancholy beauty lingering long after the end credits roll.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
LinkedIn Email The Senate moved lightning fast on Tuesday to approve a bill compelling the release of the Epstein files, a sharp departure from its usual pace after pressure quickly built up on congressional Republicans.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 19 Nov. 2025
The House is set to vote next week on a contentious bill compelling the release of all the Justice Department’s Jeffrey Epstein case files.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compelling
Adjective
-
These four novels create a convincing, wrenching, kaleidoscopic picture of the range and repetitions of the most fatal kind of love; the sort of love that allows nothing else to grow around it, that eradicates all dignity; a love which, in order to be completed, must be told.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The imitators are increasingly convincing, especially as AI image and video generators get better by the day.—
John Whyte,
STAT,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Two hours later, Ukraine’s urgent plight – the defining security crisis of Europe’s post-WW2 era - was passionately portrayed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, evoking the issue that should have been center stage breaking through the MAGA noise.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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This includes those who have qualified for conditional entry under the asylum and refugee laws or based on urgent humanitarian reasons, such as survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking.—
Isa Almeida,
Oklahoman,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His removal would trigger yet another transition, forcing the legislature to appoint a new leader and marking a volatile new chapter in Peruvian politics just two months before national elections.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
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There’s a delectable tension between its chintziness and its opulence, forcing the mind to color in the spaces of its grand visages.—
Sam Goldner,
Pitchfork,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Atila found residues in seven different vessels but only obtained a conclusive result from one artifact excavated in the ancient city of Pergamon that dates from the second century.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
-
But the research isn’t conclusive.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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According to Murray, the problem is particularly acute in Miami-Dade County.—
Brianna Mantaras,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The need for solutions is acute as costs for families continue to rise.—
Robert Duffy,
New York Daily News,
16 Feb. 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 sport, therefore, has a strong relationship with the military, with troops in such environments regularly skinning up mountains before skiing back down.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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Officers reportedly detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from the driver, later identified as Lisboa.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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The article is the key mutual defense clause, obliging all member countries to come to the aid of another member whose sovereignty or territorial integrity might be under threat.—
Pan Pylas,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Compelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compelling. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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