as in interesting
holding the attention or provoking interest
an engrossing lecture on Native American culture before the arrival of Europeans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in intriguing
to hold the attention of
a mystery story that will engross readers all the way to the surprise ending
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of engrossing
Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Winner of the 2022 Tony Award for Best Play, the taut, engrossing and beautifully scripted play is evocatively and creatively staged by director Kim Strassburger in an arena-style production in Cygnet’s black-box Dottie Studio Theatre.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
But unless you currently are embroiled in the planning or, shudder, the paying for one, its latest theatrical production will, Chris Jones fears, be less than engrossing.
—Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for engrossing
Adjective
Her talent for channeling this script is the building block for thoughtful, engrossing theater.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Winner of the 2022 Tony Award for Best Play, the taut, engrossing and beautifully scripted play is evocatively and creatively staged by director Kim Strassburger in an arena-style production in Cygnet’s black-box Dottie Studio Theatre.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
Kirk Jones’ engrossing film about him is an inspiration, showing how Davidson increased awareness about the realities of this disorder and brought people with it together.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
But unless you currently are embroiled in the planning or, shudder, the paying for one, its latest theatrical production will, Chris Jones fears, be less than engrossing.
—Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for engrossing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for engrossing
Adjective
-
Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images The main card event promises to be an interesting fight.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
-
That combination makes Norwegian Epic one of the more interesting mainstream cruise ships sailing in Europe.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
And while the company presented more data on that drug Tuesday, showing promising first-line and combination data on daraxonrasib, scientists also showed in another session intriguing preclinical data on a completely new compound that may represent what comes after the current lineup.—
Angus Chen,
STAT,
21 Apr. 2026
-
There’s familiarity there, but there’s also intriguing talent with Thompson.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
According to general manager Magrino, the goal of Borgo Pignano Group is to contribute to a more sustainable and emotionally engaging vision of the city, enhancing its cultural fabric.—
Andrea Onate,
Footwear News,
16 June 2026
-
However, competitive play also proved highly engaging for many players.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Wilentz, author of the 2010 book Dylan in America, wrote Volume 18‘s detailed, often fascinating 125-page liner notes that provides historical context for the expansive eight-CD set.—
Glenn Peoples,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Once on the ground visitors can enjoy Greenland’s rugged coastal landscapes, fascinating indigenous Inuit culture, and the opportunity to experience the country at its primordial best.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The Best Books of the Year (So Far) Our editors and critics choose the most captivating, notable, brilliant, surprising, absorbing, weird, thought-provoking, and talked-about books.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
-
Unlike standard contact lenses, these incorporate light-responsive or light-absorbing compounds into the lens material itself.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Zoh Amba spent their Kingsport, Tennessee adolescence diving into YouTube, immersing themselves in videos of jazz saxophonists like Albert Ayler and Charlie Parker.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
Pitchfork,
9 June 2026
-
Venus and Jupiter align in Cancer in the part of your chart governing long journeys, higher learning, and international exploration, making the first two weeks especially ripe for immersing yourself in a new culture and simply having a wonderful time.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Engrossing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/engrossing. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
