as in interesting
holding the attention or provoking interest
a riveting explanation of light waves that fascinated the class
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in focusing
to fix (as one's attention) steadily toward a central objective
everyone riveted their eyes on the trick that the magician was performing on stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of riveting
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025
But the suspenseful mystery packed into Bella's pursuit of Edward's true identity, enhanced by cinematographer Elliot Davis' eerie visuals, makes for a riveting introduction to the franchise.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 1 July 2025
The deft tonal shifts, nuanced storytelling, and unvarnished performances announce the arrival of a riveting actor and filmmaker.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 27 June 2025
And though The Escape Game is a riveting whodunnit, its characters are sure to be a hit with readers too, Meyer says.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for riveting
Adjective
But every second leading up to it is as riveting and staggering as any filmmaker should be legally capable of.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025
But the suspenseful mystery packed into Bella's pursuit of Edward's true identity, enhanced by cinematographer Elliot Davis' eerie visuals, makes for a riveting introduction to the franchise.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 1 July 2025
The deft tonal shifts, nuanced storytelling, and unvarnished performances announce the arrival of a riveting actor and filmmaker.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 27 June 2025
And though The Escape Game is a riveting whodunnit, its characters are sure to be a hit with readers too, Meyer says.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for riveting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riveting
Adjective
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Today, the company prides itself on continuously adding to their menu with interesting doughnut variations and collaborations.—
Rachel Flynn,
People.com,
15 July 2025
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Our goal is to learn and connect more deeply with interesting people.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
Pitchers As far as pitching goes, the thesis couldn’t be simpler — do our best to avoid any bias attached to surface stats (outputs) by instead focusing on underlying metrics (inputs).—
John Laghezza,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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State government has been focusing on East Hartford in recent years because the administration of then-Mayor Mike Walsh advanced a series of high-profile, potentially transformative projects.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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General Manager Ryan Poles used trades and free agency to overhaul the middle of the offensive line, then selected intriguing targets Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III in the draft.—
Phil Rogers,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Actually, one of the more intriguing names became available Monday, with the Wizards waiving Richaun Holmes.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 July 2025
Verb
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This led to an explosion of technology development and, with funding concentrating on a smaller number of startups, set the playing field for 2025.—
Jeff Mahler,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
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Since the trial began, the Amazons have ventured out about three times a week to paste messages on both sides of the ramparts, but mostly concentrating on the intra-muros area near the courthouse.—
Catherine Porter,
New York Times,
20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The contrast between ancient history and modern life was fascinating.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
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Many fascinating finds from the Byzantine era still turn up in Asia Minor and the Middle East today.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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The characters themselves make for an exceptionally engaging series.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
17 July 2025
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For instance, slowing your pace just enough to let key points land and adding variation to your pitch makes your message more engaging and credible.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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In this delightfully absorbing novel, an isolated house in the middle of a menacing desert landscape serves as the backdrop of a reality-TV competition.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
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Borrowing from a range of familiar sources, most notably the work of Octavia Butler, Thorne crafts a tense and absorbing story about the Freeman family’s attempt to survive in a world ravaged by disease, famine and a brutal civil war.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Riveting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riveting. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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