Word
intriguing
Meanings
Very interesting because it makes you curious and eager to learn more.
Having a mysterious or unusual quality that invites attention and questions.
Definition
Intriguing means very interesting because it makes you curious and want to know more.
If something is intriguing, it attracts your attention in a strong way and sparks curiosity. It often suggests there is more to discover, understand, or explain. People use it for ideas, stories, clues, or situations that feel mysterious or unexpected.
Examples
- I found the lecturer’s intriguing theory hard to accept at first, but it kept me thinking all evening.
- You raised an intriguing point in the meeting, and it shifted the discussion in a more productive direction.
- She gave an intriguing account of her journey, leaving out just enough details to keep everyone guessing.
- They uncovered an intriguing pattern in the data, though they still needed more evidence to explain it clearly.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use "intriguing" to mean "interested" (a feeling), but it describes the thing that causes curiosity, not the person’s emotion.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.