Arresting — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ə-ˈre-stiŋ/ ar·rest·ing

Meaning & Definition of Arresting

Arresting (adjective)

  1. catching the attention, striking, impressive

Arresting (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. holding the attention or provoking interest

    "an arresting film about tribal traditions in Africa"

    similar: absorbing, consuming, engaging, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, gripping, immersing, interesting, intriguing, involving, riveting
    related: breathtaking, electric, electrifying, exciting, exhilarating, galvanizing, inspiring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling, provocative, tantalizing, emphatic, showy, splashy, striking, alluring, attractive, bewitching, captivating, charming, enchanting, spellbinding, hypnotizing, mesmerizing, curious, odd, unusual, weird, amazing, astonishing, astounding, eventful, eye-opening, fabulous, marvelous, surprising, wonderful, wondrous, amusing, entertaining
    opposite: boring, drab, dry, dull, heavy, monotonous, tedious, uninteresting
    near: operose, tiresome, tiring, wearisome, wearying, sterile, unexciting, dreary, humdrum, pedantic, pedestrian, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting

  2. likely to attract attention

    "at seven feet tall, he's an arresting figure in any crowd"

    similar: bodacious, bold, brilliant, catchy, commanding, conspicuous, dramatic, emphatic, eye-catching, flamboyant, grabby, kenspeckle (chiefly Scottish), marked, noisy, noticeable, prominent, pronounced, remarkable, showy, splashy, striking
    related: detectable, discernible, observable, perceptible, recognizable, visible, outstanding, salient, distinguished, eminent, impressive, notable, noteworthy, highlighted, spotlighted, flagrant, glaring, howling, screaming, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, jazzy, loud, meretricious, swank, tawdry, highfalutin, ostentatious, pretentious, extravagant, fancy, florid, glittery, spectacular, opulent, ornate, overdone, overwrought, absorbing, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, interesting, riveting
    opposite: inconspicuous, unemphatic, unflamboyant, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, unremarkable, unshowy
    near: subtle, concealed, hidden, shrouded, dim, faint, obscure, insignificant, undistinguished, unimportant, modest, unaffected, unassuming, unpretentious, conservative, plain, quiet, simple, understated, muted, restrained, subdued, toned-down, unflashy

Arresting (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to take or keep under one's control by authority of law

    "the inept robber was promptly arrested by the off-duty policeman he had tried to hold up"

    similar: apprehending, busting (slang), collaring, nabbing, nailing, nicking (British slang), picking up, pinching, pulling in, restraining, running in, seizing
    related: bagging, capturing, catching, getting, grabbing, grappling, hooking, landing, snapping (up), snaring, snatching, trapping, committing, confining, detaining, holding, immuring, imprisoning, incarcerating, interning, jailing, jugging, locking (up), binding, enchaining, fettering, handcuffing, manacling, shackling, trammeling, rearresting, remanding
    opposite: discharging
    near: emancipating, freeing, liberating, loosening, loosing, releasing, springing, unbinding, unchaining

  2. to bring (something) to a standstill

    "cryogenics is based on the idea that extreme cold can almost arrest molecular motion"

    similar: bringing up, catching, checking, drawing up, fetching up, halting, holding up, pulling up, stalling, staying, stilling, stopping
    related: baffling, balking, blockading, blocking, bottlenecking, clogging, damming, detaining, hindering, holding, holding back, impeding, obstructing, snagging, stemming, concluding, cutting off, ending, terminating, calling, discontinuing, suspending, choking off, reining (in), repressing, squashing, squelching, stanching, stunting, suppressing, turning back
    near: carrying on, continuing, following through (with), keeping (on), keeping up, persisting, running on, advancing, faring, going along, marching, moving, proceeding, progressing, wending, actuating, budging, driving, goading, impelling, propelling, pushing, spurring, stirring

  3. to hold the attention of as if by a spell

    "the sight of the daredevil walking a tightrope between high-rises arrested area pedestrians and motorists alike"

    similar: bedazzling, catching up, enchanting, enthralling, fascinating, gripping, hypnotizing, mesmerizing, spellbinding
    related: enrapturing, entrancing, thrilling, beguiling, bewitching, charming, absorbing, engaging, engrossing, involving

Related Entry: Arrest (verb)

Arrest is a different word from Arresting. The synonyms below are for arrest, not for arresting.

  1. to take or keep under one's control by authority of law

    "the inept robber was promptly arrested by the off-duty policeman he had tried to hold up"

    similar: apprehend, bust (slang), collar, nab, nail, nick (British slang), pick up, pinch, pull in, restrain, run in, seize
    related: bag, capture, catch, get, grab, grapple, hook, land, snap (up), snare, snatch, trap, commit, confine, detain, hold, immure, imprison, incarcerate, intern, jail, jug, lock (up), bind, enchain, fetter, handcuff, manacle, shackle, trammel, rearrest, remand
    opposite: discharge
    near: emancipate, free, liberate, loose, loosen, release, spring, unbind, unchain

  2. to bring (something) to a standstill

    "cryogenics is based on the idea that extreme cold can almost arrest molecular motion"

    similar: bring up, catch, check, draw up, fetch up, halt, hold up, pull up, stall, stay, still, stop
    related: baffle, balk, block, blockade, bottleneck, clog, dam, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, obstruct, snag, stem, conclude, cut off, end, terminate, call, discontinue, suspend, choke off, rein (in), repress, squash, squelch, stanch, stunt, suppress, turn back
    near: carry on, continue, follow through (with), keep (on), keep up, persist, run on, advance, fare, go along, march, move, proceed, progress, wend, actuate, budge, drive, goad, impel, propel, push, spur, stir

  3. to hold the attention of as if by a spell

    "the sight of the daredevil walking a tightrope between high-rises arrested area pedestrians and motorists alike"

    similar: bedazzle, catch up, enchant, enthrall, fascinate, grip, hypnotize, mesmerize, spellbind
    related: enrapture, entrance, thrill, beguile, bewitch, charm, absorb, engage, engross, involve

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Arresting

The most common words with a similar meaning to Arresting:

Chiefly Scottish: kenspeckle
Slang: busting
British slang: nicking
absorbing, consuming, engaging, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, gripping, immersing, interesting, intriguing, involving, riveting, bodacious, bold, brilliant, catchy, commanding, conspicuous, dramatic, emphatic, eye-catching, flamboyant, grabby, marked, noisy, noticeable, prominent, pronounced, remarkable, showy, splashy, striking, apprehending, collaring, nabbing, nailing, picking up, pinching, pulling in, restraining

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Arresting

Words with the opposite meaning of Arresting:

boring, drab, dry, dull, heavy, monotonous, tedious, uninteresting, inconspicuous, unemphatic, unflamboyant, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, unremarkable, unshowy, discharging

Related Words for Arresting

breathtaking, electric, electrifying, exciting, exhilarating, galvanizing, inspiring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling, provocative, tantalizing, alluring, attractive, bewitching, captivating, charming, curious, odd, unusual, weird, amazing, astonishing, astounding, eventful, eye-opening, fabulous, marvelous, surprising

Near Antonyms of Arresting

operose, tiresome, tiring, wearisome, wearying, sterile, unexciting, dreary, humdrum, pedantic, pedestrian, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting, subtle, concealed, hidden, shrouded, dim, faint, obscure, insignificant, undistinguished, unimportant, modest, unaffected, unassuming, unpretentious, conservative

Word Forms of Arresting

Derived words: arrestingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Arresting

from present participle of arrest:1

First known use: 1792

Words & Phrases Containing Arresting

arresting gear

Frequently Asked Questions about Arresting

What does "Arresting" mean?

"Arresting" means catching the attention, striking, impressive. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: catching the attention, striking, impressive. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Arresting"?

Other words for "Arresting" include absorbing, consuming, engaging, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, gripping and immersing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Arresting" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Arresting"?

There are 200 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Arresting". Common alternatives include absorbing, consuming, engaging, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, gripping, immersing, interesting and intriguing.

What is the opposite of "Arresting"?

Antonyms of "Arresting" include boring, drab, dry, dull, heavy, monotonous, tedious and uninteresting. Near antonyms include operose, tiresome, tiring and wearisome.

How do you use "Arresting" in a sentence?

Examples of "Arresting" in a sentence: "an arresting film about tribal traditions in Africa"; "at seven feet tall, he's an arresting figure in any crowd"; "the inept robber was promptly arrested by the off-duty policeman he had tried to hold up".

Is "Arresting" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Arresting" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Arresting"?

"Arresting" is pronounced /ə-ˈre-stiŋ/ and divided into syllables as ar·rest·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Arresting"?

"Arresting" comes from from present participle of arrest:1. First known use: 1792.