interesting

adjective

in·​ter·​est·​ing ˈin-t(ə-)rə-stiŋ  ˈin-tə-ˌre- 

ˈin-ˌtre-;

ˈin-tər-

: holding the attention : arousing interest

interestingness noun

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The Pronunciation and History of Interesting

There are a number of ways to say interesting. It can have three syllables or four; it can have an accent only on the first syllable, or it can also have a secondary accent on the "res"; the first "e" can get ignored, resulting in a second syllable of "tres" rhyming with dress; or the second "e" can be ignored, resulting in a syllable that sounds like terse. All of these various pronunciations are well-established and occur in the speech of educated, native speakers of English.

The word interesting originally meant "of concern"; it was a synonym of important. It comes from the verb interest, which in its original use meant "to induce or persuade to participate or engage." If you were interested in something, you were not willing to be a bystander; you felt the need to participate or engage.

Synonyms

• absorbing
• arresting
• consuming
• engaging
• engrossing
• enthralling
• fascinating
• gripping
• immersing
• intriguing
• involving
• riveting

Examples of interesting in a Sentence

This is one of the most interesting books I've read all year.

It will be interesting to see how she decides to spend the money.

This building has an interesting history.

I don't find politics very interesting.

I found it interesting to learn that she had once lived in California.

Most of what he said wasn't interesting to me.

Recent Examples on the Web

Di Placido covers TikTok and Twitter trends, breaking down interesting conversations and controversies surrounding celebrities and the entertainment industry, focusing on fantasy and sci-fi stories such as Star Wars and House of the Dragon. —Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025

Perhaps the most interesting detail came from Alonso, the only active F1 driver to attend an F1 ‘legends’ dinner held in London on Monday night. —Luke Smith, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025

What is interesting about this minority ownership stake being sold, apart from the benefactors being able to land a portion of one of the biggest teams in the NFL, is the 49ers are also interested in using the sale to acquire a stake in a soccer club. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025

As far as new and emerging markets, Southeast Asia offers some interesting opportunities. —Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for interesting

• uninteresting

Kids Definition

interesting

adjective

in·​ter·​est·​ing ˈin-trəst-iŋ  ˈint-ə-ˌrest-iŋ 

-ə-rəst-,

-ərst-

: holding the attention : arousing interest