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I have heard a couple of people use intriguement casually but there is nothing online except for a listing in the Urban Dictionary:

intriguement

the feeling of being intrigued
He was nearly as old as her father, much to Martha's intriguement.

So, is it an actual word?

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  • How would it be different from the noun intrigue?
    – TimR
    Commented Oct 4, 2023 at 23:00
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    A bit like awesomeness instead of awe.
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Oct 4, 2023 at 23:10
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    What does "actual word" mean? If some people use it, and other people understand it, that makes it a word. There's no authority for the English language that decrees what is or isn't valid.
    – Barmar
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 0:04
  • I'm not sure that the first answer to english.stackexchange.com/questions/215998/… is the last word on wordhoodness but I think it touches most of the sides of the box.
    – High Performance Mark
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 4:47
  • @Tim Intrigue (noun) refers to something like a secret conspiracy or love affair, or the practice of doing such things, rather than the state of being intrigued. So intrigue is different to intriguement, and even if you don't like that coinage such a word might seem necessary (intriguedness might also work).
    – Stuart F
    Commented Oct 5, 2023 at 17:17

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The word intriguement is not a dictionary or a standard word. It can be considered a neologism or a nonce word modelled on established words like excitement, astonishment, amazement and that has been used by some people for the intended meaning, as the noun intrigue doesn't have the sense "the condition or feeling of being intrigued".

For example, intrigueness is another neologized word you can find in Google Books. Although, it is better to use established words for the intended meaning; perhaps fascination fits the bill.

OED definition of fascination:

The state of being enthralled or intrigued by, or extremely interested in, something or someone.
Now the usual sense.

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  • I've not come across the 'now the usual sense' caveat (or anti-caveat) before; it's very helpful. // I take it that by 'not a dictionary word' you include an OED non-show.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Nov 4, 2023 at 12:03

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