captivate

verb

cap·ti·vate ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt

captivated; captivating

transitive verb

: to influence and dominate by some special charm, art, or trait and with an irresistible appeal

We were captivated by her beauty.

The scenery captivated our attention.

archaic : seize, capture

captivation

ˌkap-tə-ˈvā-shən

noun

captivator

ˈkap-tə-ˌvā-tər

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for captivate

attract, allure, charm, captivate, fascinate, enchant mean to draw another by exerting a powerful influence.

attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response

charmed by their hospitality

, but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

her performances captivated audiences

fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

enchant is perhaps the strongest of these terms in stressing the appeal of the agent and the degree of delight evoked in the subject.

hopelessly enchanted by her beauty

Example Sentences

The play has been captivating audiences for years. the clown captivated the toddlers with his balloon tricks

Recent Examples on the Web On Sunday, Qatar and Ecuador will kick off the monthlong tournament that is sure to captivate fans across the world.

Katie Mcinerney, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Nov. 2022 The contest's popularity took off, turning a single day into a weeklong celebration that has since continued to captivate fans across the country.

Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2022 In the 2015 release Legend, Tom Hardy plays identical twin brothers Reggie and Ronnie Kray, notorious gangsters who both terrorize and captivate the public while eluding the authorities in 1960s London.

Andy Meek, BGR, 19 Oct. 2022 Novels have the capacity to captivate our imaginations while also engaging in human themes and reflecting the modern world.

Robert English, EW.com, 17 Sep. 2022 The film explores the theory of eugenics — selective breeding of the human population — that rose in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and went on to captivate the likes of Teddy Roosevelt and Helen Keller.

Matthew Gilbert, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Sep. 2022 TopBuzz was shut down in June 2020 after failing to captivate the Western market in the way TikTok did.

Sophie Mellor, Fortune, 27 July 2022 Even after 85 years, the Borg-Warner trophy continues to captivate people.

Grace Hollars, The Indianapolis Star, 19 May 2022 Jeffrey Dahmer's gruesome story continues to captivate viewers – while haunting the families of his real-life victims.

Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 4 Oct. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'captivate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.