INDEX:
1. something that makes you feel interested
2. so interesting that you cannot stop watching, reading etc
3. an interesting period of time
4. an interesting city, building, work of art etc
5. words for describing an interesting person
6. to make something more interesting
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ BORING/BORED
see also
↑ INTERESTED
↑ EXCITED/EXCITING
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1. something that makes you feel interested
▷ interesting /ˈɪntrɪstɪŋ, ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/ [adjective]
if something is interesting, you give it your attention, because it is unusual or exciting or because it is something that you want to know about :
▪ We saw an interesting film about African wildlife.
▪ The most interesting thing about dinosaurs is the fact that they all died out so suddenly.
▪ Michael’s new job sounds really interesting.
▪ There’s a course in English business law at King’s College that looks interesting.
find something interesting
think something is interesting
▪ I found the book quite interesting even though it’s not the sort of thing I’d normally read.
find it interesting (that)
▪ I find it interesting that no one has yet mentioned the President’s appalling record on the economy.
it is interesting (that)
▪ It is interesting that the present recession is much deeper in the south than in the north.
it is interesting to do something
▪ It would be interesting to know how much he earns.
▷ fascinating /ˈfæsɪneɪtɪŋ, ˈfæsəneɪtɪŋ/ [adjective]
extremely interesting :
▪ Singapore’s exotic mix of cultures - mostly Chinese, Indian, and Malay - makes it a fascinating holiday destination.
▪ The programme focuses on the fascinating story of Mary Shelley, the woman who, at just 18, wrote the horror masterpiece Frankenstein.
find something fascinating
think something is fascinating
▪ We went round Chesmore Zoo the other day and found it fascinating.
it is fascinating to do something
▪ It’s fascinating to imagine what might have happened if the US had stayed out of World War II.
▷ intriguing /ɪnˈtriːgɪŋ/ [adjective]
if something is intriguing, you want to know more about it because it is unusual or difficult to understand :
▪ Taylor’s latest CD presents the listener with an intriguing mixture of musical styles.
it is intriguing to do something
▪ It is intriguing to note that only one of his books was published during his own lifetime.
▷ be of interest /biː əv ˈɪntrə̇st/ [verb phrase]
if something is of interest to someone, they want to know more about it because it is related to a subject or activity that they are interested in :
▪ Finally, in the last section of the talk I will cover a few miscellaneous topics which I think may be of interest.
be of interest to
▪ Pull your chair over. I heard something today that might be of interest to you.
▪ It is expected that the results of the research programme will be of interest not only to academics, but also to the government.
▷ stimulating /ˈstɪmjɑˌleɪtɪŋ/ [adjective]
something that is stimulating is interesting and enjoyable because it gives you new ideas to think about :
▪ Her lectures were always stimulating and covered a variety of subjects.
▪ The Faculty is a large but welcoming and intellectually stimulating community.
▪ The department is very well equipped and provides a stimulating environment for postgraduate research.
▪ New York has always been an exciting and stimulating place to be.
▷ hold your attention /ˌhəʊld jɔːr əˈtenʃ ə n/ [verb phrase]
if something such as a book, play, or speech holds your attention, it makes you keep reading, watching, or listening to it and stops you from thinking about other things :
▪ The book holds the reader’s attention completely throughout its 600 pages.
▪ At large conferences speakers have to work harder to hold people’s attention than at smaller ones.
▷ absorbing /əbˈsɔːʳbɪŋ, -ˈzɔːʳ-/ [adjective]
something that is absorbing holds your attention for a long time because it is very interesting and enjoyable :
▪ Developing your own photographs can be an absorbing hobby.
▪ In an absorbing book about how she learned to fly, Diane Ackerman tells why she chooses to risk her life.
2. so interesting that you cannot stop watching, reading etc
▷ riveting/gripping /ˈrɪvɪtɪŋ, ˈrɪvətɪŋ, ˈgrɪpɪŋ/ [adjective]
a film, book etc that is riveting or gripping is so interesting or exciting that you do not want to stop watching it, reading it etc :
▪ The novel is absolutely riveting from start to finish.
▪ The story is a riveting one about two children who find an adventure game which becomes real as they are playing it.
▪ Hitchcock’s film "The Birds’ is a brilliant psychological thriller with a gripping climax.
▪ The play is never quite interesting or gripping enough in the right places despite the considerable efforts of the actors.
▷ I couldn’t put it down /aɪ ˌkʊdnt pʊt ɪt ˈdaʊn/ spoken
say this about a book that was so enjoyable that you did not want to stop reading it :
▪ What an amazing book! I just couldn’t put it down.
▷ compelling /kəmˈpelɪŋ/ [adjective] written
a film, book etc that is compelling is so interesting that you feel you must keep watching or reading it :
▪ The film was so compelling I could scarcely take my eyes off the screen for a second.
▪ Orwell’s ‘Burmese Days’ is a compelling account of life under British Colonial rule.
▷ engrossing /ɪŋˈgrəʊsɪŋ/ [adjective]
something that is engrossing, such as a book or your work, is so interesting that you do not notice anything that is happening around you :
▪ In his latest novel, Martin Amis gives us an engrossing tale of human trauma.
▪ The daydream was so engrossing that she almost failed to notice Peter waving to her from the other side of the road.
▷ mesmerizing/enthralling /ˈmezməraɪzɪŋ, ɪnˈθrɔːlɪŋ/ [adjective]
a story, film, game etc that is mesmerizing or enthralling is very interesting and exciting, so that you give all your attention to it :
▪ The band incorporates Spanish, Latin American and Middle Eastern influences into a powerful, mesmerizing mix.
▪ Visitors to the show will find it an enthralling experience.
▪ Sergei Rebrov scored the goal that finally ended an enthralling match.
▷ spellbinding /ˈspelbaɪndɪŋ/ [adjective]
a story, film, piece of music etc that is spellbinding is so original or interesting that you are unable to think about anything else while you are reading it, watching it etc :
▪ One of the President’s most spellbinding TV performances came on 27 July.
▪ What she reveals in this novel is a spellbinding tale of her life in China.
▷ page-turner /ˈpeɪdʒ ˌtɜːʳnəʳ/ [countable noun]
a book whose story is so interesting that you do not want to stop reading it and are very eager to find out what happens next :
▪ Stephen King’s latest novel promises to be another page-turner.
3. an interesting period of time
▷ interesting /ˈɪntrɪstɪŋ, ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/ [adjective]
an interesting period of time has a lot of interesting, unusual, or exciting things happening during it :
▪ Today’s been really interesting, I enjoyed it very much.
▪ At the age of 80 she still leads a very busy and interesting life.
▪ The Renaissance must have been a very interesting time to have been alive.
▷ eventful /ɪˈventf ə l/ [adjective]
full of interesting or important events :
▪ The poet Arthur Rimbaud led a short but extremely eventful life.
▪ It has been an eventful day in politics -- two ministers have resigned and the Prime Minister has called an election.
▷ colourful British /colorful American /ˈkʌləʳf ə l/ [adjective usually before noun]
containing a lot of unusual, exciting, and sometimes immoral events or behaviour :
▪ There are many chapters in Wilkins’ long, colorful life, including the time he spent in prison.
▪ Coleman’s colourful life is recorded in his autobiography, Reflections of a Racing Driver.
▪ Riva is a welcoming town with a colourful history.
▷ there’s never a dull moment /ðeəʳz ˌnevər ə ˌdʌl ˈməʊmənt/ spoken
say this about a situation, film, story etc in which a lot of things happen, and you do not have time to be bored :
▪ When you have three young children to look after there’s never a dull moment.
▪ There’s never a dull moment in our house, especially as there are ten of us living here.
▪ There’s never a dull moment in the entire film, and Pierce Brosnan is superb in the James Bond role.
4. an interesting city, building, work of art etc
▷ interesting /ˈɪntrɪstɪŋ, ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/ [adjective]
a building, work of art, object etc that is interesting is unusual or special in some way :
▪ The exhibition includes some interesting old musical instruments.
▪ What makes San Francisco so interesting is its architecture, which is completely different from that of other American cities.
▷ fascinating /ˈfæsɪneɪtɪŋ, ˈfæsəneɪtɪŋ/ [adjective]
extremely interesting :
▪ London is one of the most exciting and fascinating cities in the world.
▪ It was a fascinating painting, with clever use of colour and light.
▪ The Scottish Craft Centre has a fascinating range of pottery, jewellery and textiles for sale.
▪ Alice Thornton’s autobiography provides a fascinating account of family life in seventeenth-century England.
▷ unusual /ʌnˈjuːʒuəl, -ʒ ə l/ [adjective]
different in style from other buildings, cities, or works of art, and therefore interesting :
▪ Louise makes hats that are eye-catching and unusual.
▪ Yuri invited me to sample some of Osaka’s more unusual restaurants.
▷ have character /hæv ˈkærə̇ktəʳ/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
if a place or a building has character, it is old and has a lot of unusual features which make it interesting and special :
▪ The hotel has character and charm, and is ideal as a base for exploring the city.
5. words for describing an interesting person
▷ interesting /ˈɪntrɪstɪŋ, ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/ [adjective]
▪ The party was full of artists, actors, and other interesting people.
▪ Lawyers get to represent lots of clients in their careers, but few as interesting as a president.
find somebody interesting
think someone is interesting
▪ She found him interesting, attractive even.
▷ fascinating /ˈfæsɪneɪtɪŋ, ˈfæsəneɪtɪŋ/ [adjective]
extremely interesting and often attractive :
▪ Nathan Bryce was the most handsome, fascinating, and ruthless man she had ever met.
▪ It was easy to understand why Denise found Chris so fascinating.
▷ colourful British /colorful American /ˈkʌləʳf ə l/ [adjective usually before noun]
a colourful person is interesting and often amusing because they are very unusual, especially because they behave in a way that does not follow society’s usual rules :
▪ The late Bob Johnston was one of the city’s most colorful, beloved characters.
▪ Throughout his life, O'Connor was a colourful and controversial character.
▷ a character /ə ˈkærə̇ktəʳ/ [singular noun]
someone who other people like and think is interesting, because they behave in an unusual and amusing way :
▪ She’s quite a character -- people find her rather shocking, but I like her.
▪ James is a real character, completely unpredictable but very funny.
6. to make something more interesting
▷ make something more interesting /ˌmeɪk something mɔːr ˈɪntrə̇stɪŋ/ [verb phrase]
▪ Teachers are always trying to find new ways of making their lessons more interesting.
▪ Sharing a house makes life much more interesting.
▷ make something come to life also make something come alive /meɪk something ˌkʌm tə ˈlaɪf, meɪk something ˌkʌm əˈlaɪv/ [verb phrase]
to make something much more interesting, especially by making it seem more lively or real :
▪ Campbell made the match come to life when he scored with a header in the 67th minute.
▪ Cagney makes the character come alive through a combination of his looks and his skills as an actor.
▷ liven up also enliven formal /ˌlaɪv ə n ˈʌp, ɪnˈlaɪv ə n/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to make something that is a little boring or ordinary become more interesting or exciting :
liven something up
▪ I wish Leo would come - he would liven the party up.
▪ Bob tried to liven things up by telling some of his jokes.
liven up something
▪ Tropical fruit such as mangoes and kiwis can help to liven up salad.
▷ jazz up /ˌdʒæz ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to make something seem more interesting and exciting by adding things to it that are colourful, modern etc :
jazz up something
▪ You can easily jazz up a plain outfit with some bright, colourful accessories.
▪ The company’s first product, WebSuite, allowed anyone with basic computer skills to jazz up a Web site.
jazz something up
▪ They’ve really jazzed it up in here but I bet the food’s still the same.
▷ add variety /ˌæd vəˈraɪəti/ [verb phrase]
to make something more interesting by adding something different or unusual :
▪ Evergreen plants with interesting leaves, berries or flowers add variety to a window box throughout the year.
add variety to
▪ Make sure you add variety to your child’s diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.