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APPEALING
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Able to attract interest or draw favorable attention
Example:
the idea of having enough money to retire at fifty is very appealing
Classified under:
Similar:
attention-getting; catchy (likely to attract attention)
attractive (having power to arouse interest)
Antonym:
unappealing (not able to attract favorable attention)
Derivation:
appealingness (attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates)
Sense 2
Meaning:
(of characters in literature or drama) evoking empathic or sympathetic feelings
Example:
the sympathetic characters in the play
Synonyms:
appealing; likable; likeable; sympathetic
Classified under:
Domain category:
drama (the literary genre of works intended for the theater)
Derivation:
appealingness (attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates)
II. (verb)
Sense 1
-ing form of the verb appeal
Context examples:
I caught Dora's eye as I bowed to her, and I thought it looked appealing.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
He did not know that the Transcontinental had been staggering along precariously for years, that it was a fourth-rater, or tenth-rater, without standing, with a crazy circulation that partly rested on petty bullying and partly on patriotic appealing, and with advertisements that were scarcely more than charitable donations.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
She looked so appealing and so pretty that I could not refuse her, and there was no possible reason why I should; so I took her with me.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
Twins, by Jupiter! was all he said for a minute, then turning to the women with an appealing look that was comically piteous, he added, Take 'em quick, somebody! I'm going to laugh, and I shall drop 'em.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
With an appealing, almost a reproachful, glance, she rose from the window; and hurrying across the room as if without knowing where, put her hands before her face, and burst into such tears as smote me to the heart.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
I never knew my mother afterwards to give an opinion on any matter, without first appealing to Miss Murdstone, or without having first ascertained by some sure means, what Miss Murdstone's opinion was; and I never saw Miss Murdstone, when out of temper (she was infirm that way), move her hand towards her bag as if she were going to take out the keys and offer to resign them to my mother, without seeing that my mother was in a terrible fright.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
If I went to sleep for a few moments, the image of Agnes with her tender eyes, and of her father looking fondly on her, as I had so often seen him look, arose before me with appealing faces, and filled me with vague terrors.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Stimulated by the silent monitor within, and by a no less touching and appealing monitor without—to whom I will briefly refer as Miss W. I entered on a not unlaborious task of clandestine investigation, protracted—now, to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, over a period exceeding twelve calendar months.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
