Other Ways To Say Interesting In English

Learn other ways to say interesting in English. 

These advanced English lessons will help you feel more confident when you’re talking to people, either individually or on a group basis.

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Speak better English with Harry - Episode 260

Other ways to say interesting

Other Ways To Say Interesting

Other ways to say interesting in English. Advanced English lessons on Zoom and Skype. Click the link englishlessonviaskype.com #learnenglish

So what are we going to look at in this particular lesson?

We’re going to look at are some alternative words that mean “interesting.”

So interesting, of course, is a nice word, but we get a bit fed up using it all the time.

Not everything can be interesting.

And if you’re using this word a lot, then you might want to have alternatives. If you’re planning for a conference, or you’re going to sit an exam in English, you certainly need some alternatives because people like to see variety.

I love to use variety in the words that I use, and it’s important for you to try the same. So I’ll give you a list of these alternatives or other ways to say interesting in English and then give you a couple of examples.

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Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

INSANITY: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

fascinating

Meaning: something or somebody that really captures your imagination

Oh, he’s a fascinating person. He is really, really fascinating. Every time I talk to him, he has an interesting story full of anecdotes.

You’ll really enjoy his company, you’ll really enjoy being with him. He’s a fascinating person.

Their family’s life story, how they emigrated from one country,  started a business and integrated into society is really fascinating.

stimulating

Meaning: something that gets you thinking, that gets you actively involved, that gets you wondering about the future etc

It was very stimulating, got me thinking a lot. When I went away, I came up with a few good ideas that I could bring into my own way of living.

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intriguing

Meaning: interesting from the point of being a bit of mystique, or there is a little bit of mystery around it

Sherlock Holmes loved to solve intriguing mysteries. He always got to the bottom of the problem and always solved the riddle.

absorbing

engrossing

Meaning: if something is absorbing or engrossing, it captures our attention

Wow, this Netflix series is really absorbing. It’s a really fascinating story of public life. 

This was a real engrossing story of politics at its best.

Other Ways To Say Interesting

Other ways to say interesting in English. Advanced English lessons on Zoom and Skype. Click the link englishlessonviaskype.com #learnenglish

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gripping

riveting

compelling

I’ve put these words together because largely we use them in the same way. And we use them we’re talking about really very interesting stories, films, even books.

A gripping tale.

For example, the Tales of Dracula.

A riveting story.

Riveting means that you’re stuck to your seat, afraid to move.

Compelling means you’re forcing yourself to watch more and more of it because it’s really so so interesting, so fascinating.

You’re gripping the edge of the seat.

You’re riveted, you’re stuck to the seat.

And it compels you to look for more. 

enthralling /ɪnˈθrɔː.lɪŋ/

We use this word enthralling especially about performance you are watching or listening. 

The ballet was very interesting. The interpretation, the movement, everything about it was enthralling.

An enthralling performance. 

Other Ways To Say Interesting

And then

spellbinding

Meaning: something that you watch as if you have been hypnotised, you’re sitting there staring

When we talk about spellbinding, we think immediately about magicians’ spellbinding. 

Something that is happening is really exciting and interesting.

The music he played was spellbinding. They put on a similar concert every month with professional players from all over the world.

And finally, an informal expression

I couldn’t put it down

Well, I often say that when I’m reading interesting books, I really would like to sit down and read the book, cover to cover.

It was an exceptional story. It was intriguing. It was gripping. I just couldn’t put it down.

Other Ways To Say Interesting

Okay, so let me just give you them one more time:

  • fascinating
  • stimulating
  • intriguing
  • absorbing/engrossing 
  • gripping/riveting/compelling
  • enthralling
  • spellbinding
  • I couldn’t put it down

So all different ways to say interesting in English.

It’s nothing wrong with interesting at the right time in the right place, but here you got a number of alternatives. Try and use them when you have that opportunity. 

If you want to contact me, you can get me on www.englishlessonviaskype.com. I’ll always come back to you. Okay, thanks for listening and join me again soon.


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For more information on English grammar rules, English collocations and English idioms, check out the links below:

14 English collocations with COOKING

English phrasal verbs with TAKE

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