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
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
The Week Us,
TheWeek,
17 June 2026
Penn launched his acting career in the early 1980s with ensemble roles in the military thriller Taps and the beloved comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High, before turning toward serious roles and delivering riveting performances in State of Grace and The Indian Runner.
—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
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
Adjective
The result was a set of riveting political thrillers.
—
The Week Us,
TheWeek,
17 June 2026
Penn launched his acting career in the early 1980s with ensemble roles in the military thriller Taps and the beloved comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High, before turning toward serious roles and delivering riveting performances in State of Grace and The Indian Runner.
—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 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
Adjective
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That could perhaps create more pressure for Burrows to have a strong outing Tuesday, or create an interesting conversation around Arrighetti.
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Well, its’ interesting because for many years the Republican Party revered Reagan much more than Nixon, partly because Reagan was a successful president and Nixon, of course, ended his presidency in disgrace.
Verb
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At the same meeting, the school board will take up a vote to rewrite the state’s social studies curriculum, focusing more on Texas and US history and deemphasizing some teachings about global history and cultures.
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Decoupling professional identity from a single employer, focusing instead on personal contributions and impact, strengthens career clarity.
Adjective
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The compensation model is intriguing because major media companies are taking a two-track approach to AI, filing copyright infringement suits in some cases and striking content licensing deals with AI firms in others.
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His legacy in Philadelphia remains strong, making a potential All-Star return intriguing for fans.
Verb
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In a June essay, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the industry needs to avoid concentrating power in a handful of large providers.
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Iran was able to rebuild the capability in a matter of months, concentrating on locating future centrifuge assembly capabilities at sites buried deep underground.
Adjective
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Although not being anyone’s main focus this summer, the Golden Boot race is proving to be a fascinating subplot that will have plenty of twists and turns before the final next month.
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Both teams have already confirmed their place in the round of 32 and that game on Friday June 26 (3pm ET) will be a fascinating watch.
Adjective
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What Dave Gallagher and the AnimSchool Studios team have achieved is remarkable, creating a visually stunning, emotionally engaging series that has already built a passionate audience through its own merit.
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Mahjong, which is strategic, social and mentally engaging, fits squarely into that category.
Adjective
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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.
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There’s a lot to say about the texture—decadent, buttery, but surprisingly fast-absorbing, for starters—but greasy isn’t one of them.
Cite this Entry
“Riveting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riveting. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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