compelling

adjective

com·​pel·​ling kəm-ˈpe-liŋ How to pronounce compelling (audio)
: that compels: such as
a
: forceful
a compelling personality
a compelling desire
b
: demanding attention
for compelling reasons
The novel was so compelling that I couldn't put it down.
c
: convincing
no compelling evidence
compellingly adverb

Examples of compelling in a Sentence

The novel was so compelling that I couldn't put it down. He made a compelling argument. I would need a very compelling reason to leave my job. She had a compelling need to share what she had heard.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
There is a compelling argument that Liverpool’s summer activity, while radical by their standards, has not yet gone far enough. Oliver Kay, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2025 Nowhere is this objective more compelling—or challenging—than in type 1 diabetes. William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025 Trump’s friend Rudy Giuliani, after his successful leadership as mayor of New York during 9/11, wrote a compelling treatise on leadership and offered 14 principles for would-be leaders. Michael Eric Siegel, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2025 For shoppers who want the fun of a flip without the full flagship price, this deal is a compelling entry point. Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for compelling

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of compel

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of compelling was in 1606

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Compelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compelling. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.

Legal Definition

compelling

adjective
: that compels : tending to demand action or to convince
a compelling need for disclosure
a compelling argument

More from Merriam-Webster on compelling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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