Meaning & use

riveting

adjective·Academic

Extremely interesting or exciting, holding someone's complete attention.

See it in a sentence

The trial testimony was so riveting that no one in the courtroom moved.

She wrote a riveting account of her journey across the desert alone.

A note on using this word

Riveting comes from the image of a rivet holding metal firmly fixed, suggesting attention held just as tightly.

Words with a similar meaning

grippingenthralling

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

dullboring

Make it your own

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