English · Word Candidate

intriguing

/ɪnˈtɹiːɡɪŋ/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: intriguings

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Causing a desire to know more; mysterious.

Adjective

Examples

As a result, while the train was being shunted at Bombay, the buffers became locked, producing a situation most intriguing for the onlookers, but exasperating for the exalted passengers and the unhappy railway authorities.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Involving oneself in secret plots or schemes.

Adjective

Examples

A book that does not sell us the powerful, intriguing women of Rome simply as poisoners, schemers, and femmes fatales […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

An intrigue.

NounRegister: dated

Examples

In all these negotiations, and caballings, and intriguings, the person most concerned, Frances Coke, the beauty and the heiress, was only the ball in the game.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “intriguing” mean?

Causing a desire to know more; mysterious.

Is “intriguing” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.