intriguing

adjective

in·​trigu·​ing in-ˈtrē-giŋ How to pronounce intriguing (audio)
: engaging the interest to a marked degree : fascinating
an intriguing story

Examples of intriguing in a Sentence

The Huns are intriguing not only because of their notoriously hawkish history, but also because of their place as middlemen between Mongol and Turkic ethnicity. Victor L. Mote, Siberia, 1998
The next two phases of the Cambrian … mark the strangest, most important, and most intriguing of all episodes in the fossil record of animals—the short interval known as the Cambrian explosion … Stephen Jay Gould, Natural History, July/August 1998
The folklorist Jan Brunvand has documented hundreds of "urban legends," intriguing stories that everyone swears happened to a friend of a friend … and that circulate for years in nearly identical form in city after city, but that can never be documented as real events. Steven Pinker, The Language Instinct, 1994
The offer is very intriguing. an intriguing concept that should engender much debate among climatologists
Recent Examples on the Web
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This could be an intriguing buy-low opportunity for a player with star, first-line upside. Harman Dayal, New York Times, 30 May 2025 The economic marginalization of nuclear power is an intriguing case in point. Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 Still, the timing of Phillips 66’s decision to start sponsoring the Giants is intriguing. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025 Striking notes of guaiac wood and tonka bean fulfill my musky quota, while citrusy mandarin and lemon add some intriguing brightness suitable for warmer months. Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for intriguing

Word History

Etymology

see intrigue entry 1

First Known Use

1752, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of intriguing was in 1752

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Intriguing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intriguing. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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