Arresting, in its basic sense, refers to capturing attention or halting progress. As an adjective, it also describes something striking or visually arresting. The word combines arrest (to seize) with -ing, indicating a continuing or resulting state, and is often used to describe compelling or attention-grabbing imagery, performances, or statements. Context determines whether it conveys legal or descriptive connotations.
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"The news report featured an arresting photograph that drew viewers in."
"Her arresting performance left the audience breathless from start to finish."
"The film opened with an arresting visual sequence that set the mood."
"We stood before the arresting sunset, unable to look away."
Arresting comes from the verb arrest, from Old French arrestier meaning to stop or check, itself from Latin arrestare (to stop, check, restrain). The suffix -ing forms an adjective or present participle, indicating a continuing state or action. The legal sense of arrest derives from Medieval Latin arrestatus, from bast, meaning to seize or hold back. The figurative sense “arresting”—capturing attention—emerged in English by the 19th century, leveraging the notion of something so striking that it stops you in your tracks. First known uses appear in 1800s literature and journalism as a metaphor for compelling beauty, action, or drama before broad adoption in media commentary. Over time, it broadened to describe anything visually or intellectually arresting, not just physically stopping someone. The word thus travels through law, aesthetics, and rhetoric, retaining its core idea of seizing or holding attention, whether literal or figurative.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "arresting" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "arresting" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "arresting"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈær.ɛst.ɪŋ/ in US and UK, with primary stress on the first syllable: AR-rest-ing. Begin with a short open front vowel in the first syllable, then a clear /r/ followed by a light /ɛ/ and a quick /st/ cluster, ending with a loose /ɪŋ/. In casual speech, the final /ɪŋ/ can be slightly reduced to [ɪn]. For reference, listen to native speakers on pronunciation platforms to reinforce timing.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress, saying ar-REST-ing with stress on the second syllable; (2) Slurring the /st/ into a simple /s/ or /t/ producing /ˈæɹɛstɪŋ/ instead of /ˈær.ɛst.ɪŋ/; (3) Merging /r/ and /ɛ/ into a dull vowel like /æ/ or /ə/; (4) Ending with a strong /ŋ/ rather than a light /ɪŋ/ leading to /ˈær ɛst ɪŋ/ with too much nasalization. Correct by emphasizing first syllable, crisp /st/ cluster, and light final nasal.
US: /ˈærˌɛstɪŋ/ with strong primary stress on first syllable and a rhotic /r/; UK: /ˈɑːˈrɛstɪŋ/ or /ˈɑːˌrestɪŋ/ depending on speaker, with non-rhotic tendencies in some variants and a longer first vowel; AU: /ˈæɹɛˌstɪŋ/ or /ˈæɹɛstɪŋ/, with Australian vowel quality and a more flapped or tapped /ɹ/ and slightly faster rhythm. Key differences: rhoticity, vowel length, and the treatment of /r/ after a stressed syllable, plus syllable-timing differences that affect pace.
Because the word packs a tense consonant cluster /ˈær.ɛst/ with /r/ after the initial vowel, plus a rapid transition into /ɪŋ/. The /ɛ/ in the second syllable is short and can blur with /ɪ/ in fast speech. The /st/ cluster requires precise tongue positioning (tip at alveolar ridge) and a clean separation before the velar nasal /ŋ/. Mastery hinges on balancing a crisp /st/ with a smooth, airy final /ŋ/. IPA cues help you visualize the exact mouth shapes: /ˈær.ɛst.ɪŋ/.
The unique feature is the strong initial syllable stress followed by a short, clipped /st/ before the softer final /ɪŋ/. You’ll want to keep the first syllable crisply pronounced so the subsequent /ˈri/ or /ˈrest/ doesn’t leak vowels. Also, ensure the /r/ is well-formed (American /ɹ/ or British rhotic variants) and avoid ejecting a heavy 'g' sound at the end; keep the final nasal soft and not overemphasized.
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