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

Storks Are Fascinating Beyond Their Brood Reducing Ways Despite their ruthless parenting, storks are fascinating creatures with other interesting traits. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

However, the puzzles are rarely straightforward, using homophones and wordplay, among other techniques, to keep things interesting. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024

However, the more interesting output from the meeting could be commentary about how the central bank views the risks of inflation and a potential rise in unemployment, said Cayla Seder, macro multi-asset strategist at State Street. —Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2024

Here’s hoping for far less interesting times in 2025 for watches and beyond. —Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

interesting

adjective

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

-ə-rəst-,

-ərst-

: holding the attention : arousing interest