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engaging

engaging

72 3.5
Holding your attention because it is pleasant or interesting
  • adjective
  • /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒɪŋ/
: interesante
  • Today's standards call for creative, strategic, and engaging ways to navigate our ever-changing literacy landscapes.
  • more engaging
  • highly engaging
  • most engaging

But those characters were so charming, so fun, so engaging that politics didn't matter.

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Examples

  • The type of work entailed in these projects is often more engaging for students.

    Academic text (2008)
  • It's a very easy read, very engaging, almost narrative about this phenomenon.

  • Yeah, a very engaging book.

  • Students expected to have learning experiences that were both engaging and relevant and that allowed for personal growth and improvement.

    Academic text (2010)
  • The Duke was a funny, engaging, warm and loving man.

  • We look forward to an insightful and engaging conversation.

  • Lessons such as these can be engaging and exciting while developing problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Chibnik's book is an engaging, detailed, and delightfully illustrated document of this process.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Such benefits may include a more engaging learning environment enriched by digital devices with multisensory and multimedia capacities.

    Academic text (2015)
  • The speaker's engaging storytelling captivated the entire audience.

Synonyms

exciting
vsengaging
∞ 1.0

Making people feel very interested and eager

engages attention more through gentle charm than intense excitement
attractive
vsengaging
653 1.0

Pleasing to look at or enjoy and making people interested

holds attention more by being charming rather than just pleasing
fascinating
vsengaging
596 2.0

Very interesting in a way that keeps your attention

keeps interest too but can be less intense or lasting
charming
vsengaging
450 1.0

Pleasant and attractive in a way that people like

engages by keeping interest, not only by giving simple delight
entertaining
vsengaging
195 1.7

Makes watching or listening enjoyable

captures interest by charm rather than by offering direct amusement
appealing
vsengaging
168 2.3

Makes people like it, for example a friendly smile or a new idea

keeps attention through charm rather than mainly through emotional appeal
intriguing
vsengaging
156 2.7

Making you want to know more because it seems strange or mysterious

holds attention more by charm than by mystery or novelty
lively
vsengaging
109 1.3

Having a lot of energy and enthusiasm

holds attention by pleasant charm rather than by energetic liveliness
pleasing
vsengaging
58 2.0

Giving a pleasant feeling of enjoyment or satisfaction

attracts and holds attention more actively than mere satisfaction
stimulating
vsengaging
47 3.9

To make someone feel more awake and interested

engages attention mainly through charm rather than active stimulation
alluring
vsengaging
28 5.2

Very attractive in a way that makes people feel interested or want it

relies on charm to hold attention rather than strong allure or desire
enticing
vsengaging
28 4.9

Attractive and likely to make you want something

draws attention through charm rather than by creating desire
captivating
vsengaging
20 4.2

Holding people's attention because it is pleasant and interesting

is similar but may keep attention in a gentler way
fetching
vsengaging
18 4.8

Attractive in a way that makes people notice it

retains attention longer by creating ongoing interest rather than just looks
enthralling
vsengaging
7 5.8

Very interesting in a way that keeps your attention

does the same but with slightly less total absorption
piquant
vsengaging
2 8.0

A lively, slightly surprising quality that makes comments or people interesting

draws attention more through plain charm than sharp stimulation

Antonyms

169 1.3

Not interesting or lively

10 2.5

Not interesting or likely to make people want it

How Engaging

enthralling
7 5.8
engaging
72 3.5
charming
450 1.0
interesting
∞ 1.0
boring
792 1.0

Surface Forms

engaging positive
engaginger comparative
engagingest superlative

Morphology

engaging = engage (transparent) = engage + ing

The adjective is the participial form of the verb 'engage' formed with '-ing'; learners who know 'engage' can readily infer 'engaging' as 'attracting attention'.

Etymology

Engaging comes from the verb engage, which is made of the old parts en- 'in' and gage 'pledge' and used to mean to 'bind' someone with a promise. So, if something is engaging it 'binds' or holds your attention — it is charming and hard to look away from.