"compelling" meaning in English

See compelling in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/ Audio: en-us-compelling.ogg Forms: more compelling [comparative], most compelling [superlative]
Rhymes: -ɛlɪŋ Etymology: By surface analysis, compel + -ing. Etymology templates: {{surf|en|compel|-ing}} By surface analysis, compel + -ing Head templates: {{en-adj}} compelling (comparative more compelling, superlative most compelling)
  1. very interesting; able to capture and hold one's attention Synonyms: gripping Translations (able to capture and hold one's attention): наложителен (naložitelen) (Bulgarian), dwingend (Dutch), meeslepend (Dutch), pakottava (Finnish), zwingend (German), fesselnd (German), unwiderstehlich (German), impozáns (Hungarian), hathatós (Hungarian), magával ragadó (Hungarian), ellenállhatatlan (Hungarian), kényszerítő (Hungarian), minden kétséget kizáró (Hungarian), avvincente (Italian), appassionante (Italian), coinvolgente (Italian), безотлага́тельный (bezotlagátelʹnyj) [masculine] (Russian), неотло́жный (neotlóžnyj) [masculine] (Russian), de peso (Spanish), compeliente (Spanish), compeledor (Spanish), compelidor (Spanish), ilgi uyandırıcı (Turkish)
    Sense id: en-compelling-en-adj-37iDuYFf Disambiguation of "able to capture and hold one's attention": 93 4 3
  2. capable of causing someone to believe or agree Synonyms: convincing
    Sense id: en-compelling-en-adj-1ouIDCeo
  3. strong and forceful; that causes one to feel like they must do something Synonyms: urgent, pressing Translations (strong): непреодолим (nepreodolim) (Bulgarian), неустоим (neustoim) (Bulgarian), vangitseva (Finnish), vastustamaton (Finnish), mukaansatempaava (Finnish), überwältigend (German), unwiderstehlich (German), fesselnd (German), hinreißend (German), erőteljes (Hungarian), elsöprő (Hungarian), hatalmas (Hungarian), entusiasmante (Italian), convincente (Italian), persuasivo (Italian), cōgēns (Latin), zorlayıcı (Turkish)
    Sense id: en-compelling-en-adj-X7Kr4n1K Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -ing, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Turkish translations, Terms with Latin translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 8 29 45 14 5 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -ing: 16 18 42 13 10 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 10 15 59 9 7 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 7 28 46 13 5 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 6 27 49 13 5 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 11 16 53 12 7 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 14 15 49 10 11 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 12 17 50 13 8 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 11 16 53 12 7 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 11 15 54 11 9 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 12 16 52 12 8 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 11 15 55 10 8 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 10 15 58 9 7 Disambiguation of Terms with Turkish translations: 12 17 51 13 7 Disambiguation of Terms with Latin translations: 11 19 70 Disambiguation of 'strong': 0 0 100
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: compellingness, uncompelling

Noun

IPA: /kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/ Audio: en-us-compelling.ogg Forms: compellings [plural]
Rhymes: -ɛlɪŋ Etymology: By surface analysis, compel + -ing. Etymology templates: {{surf|en|compel|-ing}} By surface analysis, compel + -ing Head templates: {{en-noun}} compelling (plural compellings)
  1. An act of compulsion; an obliging somebody to do something. Derived forms: compellingly Related terms: compel
    Sense id: en-compelling-en-noun-GJmacDW9

Verb

IPA: /kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/ Audio: en-us-compelling.ogg
Rhymes: -ɛlɪŋ Etymology: By surface analysis, compel + -ing. Etymology templates: {{surf|en|compel|-ing}} By surface analysis, compel + -ing Head templates: {{head|en|verb form}} compelling
  1. present participle and gerund of compel Tags: form-of, gerund, participle, present Form of: compel
    Sense id: en-compelling-en-verb-8ozEZS2B

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "compel",
        "3": "-ing"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing",
      "name": "surf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb form"
      },
      "expansion": "compelling",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "form_of": [
        {
          "word": "compel"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "present participle and gerund of compel"
      ],
      "id": "en-compelling-en-verb-8ozEZS2B",
      "links": [
        [
          "compel",
          "compel#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "form-of",
        "gerund",
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-compelling.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg/En-us-compelling.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛlɪŋ"
    }
  ],
  "word": "compelling"
}

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "compellingness"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "uncompelling"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "compel",
        "3": "-ing"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing",
      "name": "surf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more compelling",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most compelling",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "compelling (comparative more compelling, superlative most compelling)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              17,
              27
            ]
          ],
          "text": "The novel was so compelling that I couldn't put it down.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              148,
              158
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2013 June 21, Oliver Burkeman, “The tao of tech”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 27:",
          "text": "The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about \"creating compelling content\", or offering services that let you \"stay up to date with what your friends are doing\", \"share the things you love with the world\" and so on.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "very interesting; able to capture and hold one's attention"
      ],
      "id": "en-compelling-en-adj-37iDuYFf",
      "links": [
        [
          "interesting",
          "interesting"
        ],
        [
          "capture",
          "capture"
        ],
        [
          "hold",
          "hold"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "gripping"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "lang_code": "bg",
          "roman": "naložitelen",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "наложителен"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "lang_code": "nl",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "dwingend"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "lang_code": "nl",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "meeslepend"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "pakottava"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "zwingend"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "fesselnd"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "unwiderstehlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "impozáns"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "hathatós"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "magával ragadó"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "ellenállhatatlan"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "kényszerítő"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "minden kétséget kizáró"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "avvincente"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "appassionante"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "coinvolgente"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "bezotlagátelʹnyj",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "безотлага́тельный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "neotlóžnyj",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "неотло́жный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "de peso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "compeliente"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "compeledor"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "compelidor"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 4 3",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "lang_code": "tr",
          "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
          "word": "ilgi uyandırıcı"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              10,
              20
            ]
          ],
          "text": "He made a compelling argument.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              113,
              123
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2011 October 29, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal”, in BBC Sport:",
          "text": "Terry's goal looked to have put Chelsea in control on the stroke of half-time but Arsenal's response presented a compelling case for Wenger's insistence that reports of his side's demise have been greatly exaggerated.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "capable of causing someone to believe or agree"
      ],
      "id": "en-compelling-en-adj-1ouIDCeo",
      "links": [
        [
          "believe",
          "believe"
        ],
        [
          "agree",
          "agree"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "convincing"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "8 29 45 14 5",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 18 42 13 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -ing",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 15 59 9 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "7 28 46 13 5",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "6 27 49 13 5",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 16 53 12 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 15 49 10 11",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 17 50 13 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 16 53 12 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 15 54 11 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 16 52 12 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 15 55 10 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 15 58 9 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 17 51 13 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Turkish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 19 70",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Latin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              20,
              30
            ]
          ],
          "text": "I would need a very compelling reason to leave my job.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "strong and forceful; that causes one to feel like they must do something"
      ],
      "id": "en-compelling-en-adj-X7Kr4n1K",
      "links": [
        [
          "strong",
          "strong"
        ],
        [
          "forceful",
          "forceful"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "urgent"
        },
        {
          "word": "pressing"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "lang_code": "bg",
          "roman": "nepreodolim",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "непреодолим"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "lang_code": "bg",
          "roman": "neustoim",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "неустоим"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "vangitseva"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "vastustamaton"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "mukaansatempaava"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "überwältigend"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "unwiderstehlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "fesselnd"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "hinreißend"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "erőteljes"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "elsöprő"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "hatalmas"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "entusiasmante"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "convincente"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "persuasivo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "lang_code": "la",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "cōgēns"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "lang_code": "tr",
          "sense": "strong",
          "word": "zorlayıcı"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-compelling.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg/En-us-compelling.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛlɪŋ"
    }
  ],
  "word": "compelling"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "compel",
        "3": "-ing"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing",
      "name": "surf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "compellings",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "compelling (plural compellings)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "compellingly"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An act of compulsion; an obliging somebody to do something."
      ],
      "id": "en-compelling-en-noun-GJmacDW9",
      "links": [
        [
          "compulsion",
          "compulsion"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "compel"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-compelling.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg/En-us-compelling.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛlɪŋ"
    }
  ],
  "word": "compelling"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English non-lemma forms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms suffixed with -ing",
    "English verb forms",
    "English verbal nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛlɪŋ",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛlɪŋ/3 syllables",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Turkish translations"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "compel",
        "3": "-ing"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing",
      "name": "surf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb form"
      },
      "expansion": "compelling",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "form_of": [
        {
          "word": "compel"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "present participle and gerund of compel"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "compel",
          "compel#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "form-of",
        "gerund",
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-compelling.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg/En-us-compelling.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛlɪŋ"
    }
  ],
  "word": "compelling"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English non-lemma forms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms suffixed with -ing",
    "English verb forms",
    "English verbal nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛlɪŋ",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛlɪŋ/3 syllables",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Latin translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Turkish translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "compellingness"
    },
    {
      "word": "uncompelling"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "compel",
        "3": "-ing"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing",
      "name": "surf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more compelling",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most compelling",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "compelling (comparative more compelling, superlative most compelling)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              17,
              27
            ]
          ],
          "text": "The novel was so compelling that I couldn't put it down.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              148,
              158
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2013 June 21, Oliver Burkeman, “The tao of tech”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 27:",
          "text": "The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about \"creating compelling content\", or offering services that let you \"stay up to date with what your friends are doing\", \"share the things you love with the world\" and so on.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "very interesting; able to capture and hold one's attention"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "interesting",
          "interesting"
        ],
        [
          "capture",
          "capture"
        ],
        [
          "hold",
          "hold"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "gripping"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              10,
              20
            ]
          ],
          "text": "He made a compelling argument.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              113,
              123
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2011 October 29, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal”, in BBC Sport:",
          "text": "Terry's goal looked to have put Chelsea in control on the stroke of half-time but Arsenal's response presented a compelling case for Wenger's insistence that reports of his side's demise have been greatly exaggerated.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "capable of causing someone to believe or agree"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "believe",
          "believe"
        ],
        [
          "agree",
          "agree"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "convincing"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              20,
              30
            ]
          ],
          "text": "I would need a very compelling reason to leave my job.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "strong and forceful; that causes one to feel like they must do something"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "strong",
          "strong"
        ],
        [
          "forceful",
          "forceful"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "urgent"
        },
        {
          "word": "pressing"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-compelling.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg/En-us-compelling.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛlɪŋ"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "lang_code": "bg",
      "roman": "naložitelen",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "наложителен"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "lang_code": "nl",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "dwingend"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "lang_code": "nl",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "meeslepend"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "pakottava"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "zwingend"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "fesselnd"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "unwiderstehlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "impozáns"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "hathatós"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "magával ragadó"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "ellenállhatatlan"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "kényszerítő"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "minden kétséget kizáró"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "avvincente"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "appassionante"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "coinvolgente"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "bezotlagátelʹnyj",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "безотлага́тельный"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "neotlóžnyj",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "неотло́жный"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "de peso"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "compeliente"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "compeledor"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "compelidor"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "lang_code": "tr",
      "sense": "able to capture and hold one's attention",
      "word": "ilgi uyandırıcı"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "lang_code": "bg",
      "roman": "nepreodolim",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "непреодолим"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "lang_code": "bg",
      "roman": "neustoim",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "неустоим"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "vangitseva"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "vastustamaton"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "mukaansatempaava"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "überwältigend"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "unwiderstehlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "fesselnd"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "hinreißend"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "erőteljes"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "elsöprő"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "hatalmas"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "entusiasmante"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "convincente"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "persuasivo"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "lang_code": "la",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "cōgēns"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "lang_code": "tr",
      "sense": "strong",
      "word": "zorlayıcı"
    }
  ],
  "word": "compelling"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English non-lemma forms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms suffixed with -ing",
    "English verb forms",
    "English verbal nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛlɪŋ",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛlɪŋ/3 syllables",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Turkish translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "compellingly"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "compel",
        "3": "-ing"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing",
      "name": "surf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "By surface analysis, compel + -ing.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "compellings",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "compelling (plural compellings)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "compel"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "An act of compulsion; an obliging somebody to do something."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "compulsion",
          "compulsion"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-compelling.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg/En-us-compelling.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/En-us-compelling.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛlɪŋ"
    }
  ],
  "word": "compelling"
}

Download raw JSONL data for compelling meaning in English (11.6kB)

{
  "called_from": "page/2530",
  "msg": "skipping string in the middle of translations: </table></div></div>\n\n",
  "path": [
    "compelling"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "adjective",
  "title": "compelling",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-01-19 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-01-01 using wiktextract (d1270d2 and 9905b1f). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.