riveting 1 of 2

adjective

ˈri-və-tiŋ How to pronounce riveting (audio)
Definition of rivetingnext
as in interesting
holding the attention or provoking interest a riveting explanation of light waves that fascinated the class

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

riveting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of rivet
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

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 riveting
Adjective
There are also some strong sequences in the climax to Nolan’s Batman trilogy — such as the riveting plane hijacking opener, and Bruce’s trial in The Pit. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026 This season’s new fiction and nonfiction illuminate our manic world while offering riveting escapes. — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
Verb
Pomona native and Cal Poly grad who flew Navy F-18s successfully launches as pilot of NASA’s riveting Artemis II mission around the moon, the first such voyage since the Apollo program in 1972. — Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026 Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone wondering how to make each hour in their workday riveting for television viewers. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for riveting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riveting
  1. interesting
  2. focusing
  3. intriguing
  4. concentrating
  5. fascinating
  6. engaging
  7. absorbing
Adjective
  • Ours can start as one page of a contract, on the least interesting sheet in the agreement, the one nobody reads aloud.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Do not scatter your energy across every interesting possibility.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of interesting
Verb
  • The challenge was designed to encourage the teens to step away from social media and constant smartphone use while focusing on their mental health.
    — Brady Halbleib, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Experts suggest this isn't a death knell for American and European firms, who are strategically focusing on product refinement and reliability before mass scaling, aiming for sustainable market entry rather than rapid, potentially flawed, volume.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of focusing
Adjective
  • Equally, a disappointing first quarter can create an intriguing price if the problem is temporary, fixable, and already discounted.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Webflow's most intriguing hook is its set of CMS tools, which gives you a system to efficiently manage content.
    — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of intriguing
Verb
  • What happens when an innovation is rolled out in a way that threatens stakeholders while concentrating 100% of the efficiency gains at the top?
    — Jason Dressel, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
  • That is effectively a warning against concentrating too much power in the FIFA presidency.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of concentrating
Adjective
  • Very few things in movies and television shows delight me as much as a mysterious character revealing his or her fascinating backstory through an extended monologue that is delivered while staring off into the unspecified middle distance.
    — Brian Grubb, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Any talk of changing the rules, salary cap or otherwise, to put reins on this kind of success would propagate underperformance and penalize this fascinating culture of constant improvement.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of fascinating
Adjective
  • That might make this desirable to gadget nerds who aren't even necessarily in the market for a less engaging phone.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The robot could make AI lessons more engaging, but families still need clear answers about what Optio remembers, who can access that data and when the district deletes it.
    — Jesse Watson, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of engaging
Adjective
  • Find out for yourself in this finely detailed and utterly absorbing book, which reads like a thriller of the highest order.
    — Air Mail, Air Mail, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Despite its two-hour-52-minute run time, its pace is absorbing, particularly after the jagged editing of the first hour.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 July 2026
Definition of absorbing

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Cite this Entry

“Riveting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riveting. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on riveting

Nglish: Translation of riveting for Spanish Speakers

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