intrigued
4 synonyms and 3 antonyms for intrigued, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Very interested in something because it seems curious, mysterious or unexpected, and wanting to know more about it.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use intrigued
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
intrigued by
deeply intrigued
more intrigued than ever
I'm intrigued
Neutral; very common in everyday speech, reviews and social media.
Etymology
From French intriguer, from Italian intrigare, from Latin intricare 'to entangle', which also gives intricate.
Full origin of intrigued →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between intrigued and interested?
Interested simply means you want to pay attention to something. Intrigued adds a puzzle: you are drawn in because something is strange, hidden or unresolved. You are interested in a topic, but intrigued by a mystery.
Do you say intrigued by or intrigued with?
Intrigued by is the standard choice, and works for almost every context. Intrigued with is heard occasionally but sounds odd to many readers, so prefer by.
Is being intrigued a good thing?
Almost always, yes. As an adjective it is positive and describes pleasant curiosity. Only the older verb sense of intrigue, meaning to scheme or plot, carries a negative flavour.
