captivate

verb

cap·ti·vate ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt

captivated; captivating

Synonyms of captivate next

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

Examples of captivate in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Artistry Mask is a peel-off mask that, when applied and set, gives the exact glass-like radiance that so captivated the audience that night. —

Jessica Diner, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2025 Meanwhile, Hollywood icon Hepburn captivated hearts during the ‘50s and ‘60s. —

Stephanie Giang-Paunon, Fox News, 23 Jan. 2025 Puppets, and the way the colorful characters tell stories, captivated young Garner. —

J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2025 The Westerlies, who performed here in 2016 as part of the now sadly dormant Fresh Sound concert series, are captivating on their own. —

George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for captivate