Learn what to say instead of “interesting” in English. Grow your Business English vocabulary with the following alternative words for “interesting.”
This year, I decided to start a new project: gardening.
I had no gardening experience whatsoever, so in the past few months, I have been reading every gardening book I could find at the library.
Whenever I tell my husband about something fascinating I have read, I catch myself saying things like:
“Isn’t it interesting that there are thousands of varieties of fruit and vegetables, while we only get around 20-30 varieties at the supermarket?”
“Did you know that tomatoes and basil are a good pair when cooking as well as planted in the garden? I find that so interesting.”
At work, we often find ourselves using the English word interesting, as well.
It’s a great word. That’s why I use it so much myself.
So many ideas, books, videos, articles, speeches, and podcasts are interesting.
But just like many other simple, useful English words, it’s easy to overuse the word.
Read more: Use these 20 English words instead of “very” in business
Business English Vocabulary: interesting
The team came up with interesting ideas for the new product.
What does it mean? The ideas are not boring. You want to learn more about them.
How do you pronounce it? /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/
The stress is on the first syllable. Note that there are only 3 syllables. You do not pronounce the first “e”.
Click here to hear the correct pronunciation:
How to Find Words with Similar Meanings
Luckily, the English language has many words to choose from. Synonyms are alternative words with similar meanings.
Today, we can find synonyms for any words with the click of a button.
Read more: English Words To Say ‘Important’ In Business
Here are my favorite language tools to find synonyms:
The online Thesaurus helps you find synonyms by listing words with similar meanings.
This amazing tool makes visual maps around the meaning of words. It is fascinating and so practical to see how word meanings are related.
One of my favorite English dictionaries. You can find out how to say words correctly, what they mean, or you can read examples. It has a special category for business words, which is useful if you want to learn words in a business context.
The Oxford dictionary has an option to find synonyms. I like that it gives you example sentences as well as formal and informal alternatives.
If you are looking for another online Thesaurus, this is a brilliantly simple tool for you. For each word, the website gives you a list of synonyms and tells you how closely related the meanings are.
This tool is especially useful for writing at work. One of my favorite features is that you can see how synonyms are used in context in real texts. You can also compare two synonyms and see which one fits better in context.
If you are looking for words that are used in business, this Thesaurus is a nice tool. It only shows you synonyms as a list without any further information about the words, so it is useful if you need to look up synonyms quickly at work.
Alternative Words for “Interesting”
1. FASCINATING
His speech was fascinating. He mentioned many important facts I had never heard before.
What does it mean?
This adjective is a good alternative because it describes something extremely interesting. The meaning is very similar, so you can remember this word if you don’t want to repeat yourself and use the word interesting too often.
How do you pronounce it? /ˈfæs.ən.eɪ.tɪŋ/
The stress is on the first syllable. You don’t hear the ‘c’ and the first ‘i’ is weak.
Click here to hear the correct pronunciation:
2. COMPELLING
She gave a compelling argument against the new software.
What does it mean? What she said made you pay attention. It is convincing and makes you believe the arguments are true.
How do you pronounce it? /kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/
The word stress is on the second syllable, and the first syllable is rather short.
Click here to listen to the correct pronunciation:
3. THOUGHT-PROVOKING
Your question was really thought-provoking. I will think about how we can improve the process.
What does it mean? What he/she said is so interesting that you have to think more about the topic.
How is it pronounced? /ˈθɑːtprəvoʊkɪŋ/
You stress both the first syllable (‘thought’) and the second syllable of ‘provoking’. But the main stress is on the first word.
Click here to hear the correct pronunciation:
4. INSPIRING
Rachel’s talk this morning was really inspiring. I will implement her advice right away.
What does it mean? The adjective ‘inspiring’ comes from the verb ‘to inspire’. A person – but also things, such as a book – can be inspiring. It gives you good ideas that motivate you to do something.
How is it pronounced? /ɪnˈspɑɪərɪŋ/
The stress is on the second syllable. Pay attention because the second ‘i’-sound in this word has a different sound from the other two – and it is longer.
Click here to listen to the correct pronunciation:
5. ENGROSSING
We had an engrossing conversation in yesterday’s meeting when we talked about the new product line’s strengths and weaknesses.
What does it mean?
This adjective describes something that is extremely interesting. In the example, the conversation attracted everyone’s attention in the meeting.
It is a more powerful way to say that something is interesting.
How do you pronounce it? /ɪnˈɡroʊ.sɪŋ/
The stress is on the second syllable, which is longer than the rest.
Click here to listen to the correct pronunciation:
Read more: What to Say Instead of “But” – 8 Easy Alternatives
6. IMPRESSIVE
Your work is impressive. I’m curious to see the client’s reaction to the proposal.
What does it mean? The work is special and important, so the speaker admires it.
How do you pronounce it? /ɪmˈpres.ɪv/
You stress the second syllable. The two ‘i’ sounds have the same pronunciation.
Click here to hear the correct pronunciation:
7. INTRIGUING
I really admire Elisabeth. She gave me some intriguing new ideas in our last phone call.
What does it mean? The ideas are very interesting because they are unusual.
How do you pronounce it? /ɪnˈtriː.ɡɪŋ/
The second syllable is stressed and long. Furthermore, the ‘u’ and the ‘g’ are both silent.
Click here to listen to the correct pronunciation:
8. NEWSWORTHY
Today was a normal day at work. Nothing newsworthy happened.
What does it mean? An event, a fact, or an example can be so interesting that it is worth reporting it, for example in the news. The adjective explains something that is unexpected because it differs from a normal workday.
How do you pronounce it? ˈnjuːzwɜːði
Stress the first syllable. The ‘th’ sound is soft.
Click here to hear the correct pronunciation:
9. INFORMATIVE
I think this report is well written and highly informative.
What does it mean? The report contains useful information.
How do you pronounce it? /ɪnˈfɔːr.mə.t̬ɪv/
You stress the second syllable. The two ‘i’ sounds are the same.
Click here to listen to the correct pronunciation:
10. EXCITING
The conference program is full of exciting topics.
What does it mean? The adjective ‘exciting’ comes from the verb ‘to excite,’ so it means that you are very interested in something and it makes you feel excited.
How do you pronounce it? /ɪkˈsaɪ.t̬ɪŋ/
You stress the second syllable.
Click here to hear the correct pronunciation:
Read more: 15 Words to Use Instead of “Good”
11. UNUSUAL
It was unusual to hear Anna’s opinion during the meeting.
What does it mean? What she did or said in the meeting was unexpected or surprising. This can be good or bad. If you use this adjective as an alternative for ‘interesting,’ it is usually positive.
How do you pronounce it? /ʌnˈjuː.ʒu.əl/
The word stress is on the second syllable and the second ‘u’ is rather long. Pay attention to the pronunciation of the ‘s’ in this word.
Click here to listen to the correct pronunciation:
12. APPEALING
John is an expert in statistics, so his profile is appealing to many companies in the field.
What does it mean? This adjective means that many companies are attracted by or interested in John’s expertise.
How do you pronounce it? /əˈpiː.lɪŋ/
The second syllable is stressed and long, whereas the first syllable is rather short.
Click here to hear the correct pronunciation:
13. CAPTIVATING
Bernard wrote a brilliant article with several captivating stories about translation technology.
What does it mean? The stories in the articles are very interesting or exciting, so they hold your attention.
How do you pronounce it? /ˈkæp.tə.veɪ.t̬ɪŋ/
Here, you stress the first syllable. I know this word seems rather long, so just practice it slowly.
Click here to listen to the correct pronunciation:
14. ENGAGING
The writing workshop was engaging and exciting.
What does it mean? This adjective is a good fit if you want to talk about something that is pleasant and draws your attention. You can also use it to describe a person.
How do you pronounce it? /ɪnˈɡeɪ.dʒɪŋ/
The stress is on the second syllable. All three ‘g’ sounds are different, so practice them slowly and listen carefully to the example.
Click here to hear the correct pronunciation:
15. NOTEWORTHY
It is a standard procedure. The report contains nothing noteworthy.
What does it mean? The adjective ‘noteworthy’ describes something that is so interesting that it deserves attention. It refers to something unusual, for instance, an event or a fact.
How do you pronounce it? /ˈnəʊtˌwɜː.ði/
You stress the first syllable. The ‘e’ is silent and the ‘th’ sound is soft.
Click here to listen to the correct pronunciation:
Read more: How to remember new words in English
Practice the New Vocabulary
Now, it’s your turn to use the new words.
Have you learned anything fascinating today?
Write a sentence using one of the alternative words for “interesting” you have learned and share it in the comments!
Happy learning!
