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intriguing

USin-TREE-ging/ɪnˈtɹiɡɪŋ/

5 meanings of intriguing

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  1. 1
    adjective
    Sparking curiosity and a desire to know more, often because something seems mysterious or puzzling.

    The archaeologists made an intriguing discovery beneath the temple floor.

    His theory is intriguing but lacks supporting evidence.

    Similarmysterious, enigmatic, cryptic, arcane, uncertain

    Oppositeboring, dull, uninteresting, unremarkable

  2. 2
    adjective
    Engaged in plotting or scheming in secret rather than acting openly.

    The intriguing courtier spread false rumors to ruin his rivals.

    Those intriguing generals plotted secretly against the emperor.

    Similarscheming, conniving, designing, Machiavellian

    Oppositeguileless, ingenuous

    Note

    Here the adjective has a darker meaning, and it is easily misread today. In Annelise Freisenbruch's phrase "the powerful, intriguing women of Rome," the nearby words (poisoners, schemers) show that these women plot rather than fascinate. When the word describes a person, let the context decide before reading it as the "fascinating" meaning. An intriguing courtier or general is usually a scheming one.

  3. 3
    verb
    Present participle of intrigue.

    The ancient manuscript was intriguing scholars across Europe.

    Her cryptic remarks were intriguing the entire dinner party.

    Note

    Whether the verb form takes an object decides its meaning. With an object it means fascinating someone, as in "was intriguing scholars." Without one it means plotting, as in "intriguing against the queen." The same shape works as a gerund, and it has hardened into the adjective of curiosity, which takes more and most like any adjective.

    The duke spent years intriguing against his own brother.

    Half the court was intriguing for the vacant post.

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    adjectivearchaic
    Carrying on a secret or forbidden love affair; engaged in clandestine romantic relations.

    The intriguing countess slipped away to meet her paramour after dark.

    Neighbors whispered that the intriguing merchant kept a mistress across town.

    Note

    Romance conducted in secret is the business of this archaic sense. Michael Ryan's Prostitution in London (1839) places intriguing beside flirtish and husband-hunting. Intercourse keeps its older meaning here, the dealings between lovers. A modern reader will take the word as scheming or fascinating, so keep it for period color. For the plain idea today, say having an affair.

  2. 5
    noundateduncountable
    The carrying on of secret plots or schemes; an instance of intrigue.

    The palace seethed with intriguing during the final years of the reign.

    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.
    1909, Thomas Longueville, The Curious Case of Lady Purbeck

    Similarscheming, plotting, conspiring, maneuvering

    Note

    A dated noun at home in lists of busy plotting. Thomas Longueville's The Curious Case of Lady Purbeck (1909) strings together "negotiations, and caballings, and intriguings." Unlike many -ing nouns, it readily takes a plural. In current English the noun intrigue does this work, so save intriguings for a deliberately old-fashioned tone.

intriguing is a form of intrigue

intrigue, verb: To capture someone's curiosity and make them want to know more. Full entry

Forms
intrigueintrigues he/she/itintriguing -ing formintrigued past tense, past participle
Spelling
intrigue → intriguing: drop the e, add -ing

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