intriguing
gb/ɪntɹˈiɡɪŋ/ us/ɪntɹˈiɡɪŋ/
B2
English
~ 7500
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
Very interesting and a bit mysterious
Very interesting in a way that makes you curious, often because it is a little strange or not fully explained.
Usage pattern:
[someone] finds [something] intriguing
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "intriguing" with "intrigued". "I am intriguing" means that you cause interest in others, while "I am intrigued" means that you feel interested or curious. For example, say "I am intrigued by this idea," not "I am intriguing by this idea."
Synonyms
fascinating (Stronger than "intriguing" and usually more clearly positive in tone.)
|
compelling (Adds a sense of being hard to ignore or turn away from, not just interesting.)
|
interesting (More general and weaker; does not always suggest mystery or strangeness.)
Antonyms
boring (Describes something that does not hold your interest at all.)
|
dull (Suggests something is flat and lacks excitement or appeal.)
Collocations
find it intriguing
|an intriguing idea
|an intriguing possibility
|an intriguing question
|quite intriguing
|strangely intriguing
Themes
emotions
|thinking
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The documentary offers an intriguing look at life deep under the ocean.
- There's something intriguing about the way she tells her stories.
- He gave me an intriguing smile but did not answer my question.
- The book raises several intriguing questions about how memory works.
Learner examples
- This is a very intriguing story.
- I find her ideas intriguing.
- The movie has an intriguing ending.
- The first chapter is short but intriguing.
Verb
C1
action
2
Strongly interesting or fascinating someone
To make someone feel very interested and curious, often because something is not simple or is a little mysterious.
Usage pattern:
[something] is intriguing [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes add an unnecessary preposition and say "it intrigues to me" instead of "it intrigues me" or "it is intriguing me." Also, many situations where English speakers use the verb "intrigue" can be expressed more simply with "interest," which is more common.
Synonyms
fascinating (Very close in meaning; often slightly stronger and more clearly positive.)
|
captivating (Adds a sense that someone is held or absorbed by the interest, almost "charmed.")
Antonyms
bore (Means to make someone feel tired or not interested, the opposite of strongly attracting interest.)
Collocations
really intriguing me
|intriguing the reader
|intriguing the audience
|intriguing scientists
|intriguing many people
|has been intriguing them
Themes
emotions
|thinking
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The unsolved case is intriguing detectives all over the country.
- This strange pattern of results has been intriguing scientists for years.
- Her unusual accent was intriguing everyone at the conference.
Learner examples
- The puzzle is intriguing me more every day.
- The story is intriguing many readers online.
- The strange sound was intriguing the children in the class.
Verb
literary
C2
action
3
Secretly plotting or scheming
To plan secretly, often in a bad or dishonest way, to hurt someone or to get power or benefit.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is intriguing against [someone]
Common mistake:
This sense is rare and literary. Learners often think all uses of "intriguing" mean "interesting" and may misunderstand sentences about people "intriguing against" someone, which actually means they are secretly plotting, not just finding something interesting.
Synonyms
plotting (Very close in meaning, but more common and slightly less formal than this sense of "intriguing.")
|
scheming (Emphasizes secret and often dishonest planning to get an advantage.)
Antonyms
supporting (To help or stand behind someone openly, which is the opposite of secretly working against them.)
Collocations
intriguing against the king
|intriguing at court
|intriguing with rivals
|intriguing behind the scenes
Themes
politics
|crime
|relationships
|law
Examples
- The nobles were intriguing against the young prince, hoping to control the throne themselves.
- He spent years intriguing at court, trying to move himself closer to power.
- Rival factions are intriguing behind the scenes to remove her from office.
Learner examples
- The men were intriguing against the king.
- Some workers were intriguing to push the boss out.
- They are intriguing with her enemies to take her job.
Grammar
Dictionary form
intriguing
IPA
GB/ɪntɹˈiɡɪŋ/
US/ɪntɹˈiɡɪŋ/
Syllables & stress
in - triguing (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (triguing)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: intriguing
- Comparative: intriguinger
- Superlative: intriguingest
Verb
- Base: intriguing
- 3rd Person Singular: intriguings
- Present Participle: intriguinging
- Past: intriguinged
- Past Participle: intriguinged
Word family
Forms
intriguings
verb
intriguinging
verb
intriguinged
verb
intriguinger
adjective
intriguingest
adjective
Core family
intrigue
verb B1
intriguingly
adverb
Related words
interesting
adjective A2
interest
noun A2
Expressions
find it intriguing
1/fˈaɪnd ˈɪt ɪntɹˈiɡɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Think something is very interesting
To think that something is very interesting or unusual, in a way that makes you curious.
Examples
- I find it intriguing that they never explained how the story really ends.
- Many readers find it intriguing that the hero may not be telling the truth.
- She said she found it intriguing that the results were the same in every country.