fascinate

verb

fas·​ci·​nate ˈfa-sə-ˌnāt 

fascinated; fascinating ˈfa-sə-ˌnā-tiŋ 

ˈfas-ˌnā-tiŋ

transitive verb

1

a

: to command the interest of : allure

was fascinated by carnivals

The kids were fascinated with their new toy.

b

: to transfix (see transfix sense 1) and hold spellbound by an irresistible power

believed that the serpent could fascinate its prey

2

obsolete : bewitch

intransitive verb

: to be irresistibly attractive

the novel's flamboyant cover fascinates

Synonyms

• allure
• beguile
• bewitch
• captivate
• charm
• enchant
• kill
• magnetize
• wile
• witch [archaic]

Choose the Right Synonym for fascinate

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 fascinate in a Sentence

a question that fascinates both biologists and anthropologists

Her paintings never fail to fascinate.

Recent Examples on the Web

Fishing for microbes For years, Irene Salinas has been fascinated by a simple physiological fact: The distance between the nose and the brain is quite small. —Yasemin Saplakoglu, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024

North Carolina State PhD student and Paper co-author Haitao Qing told Popular Science he is fascinated by the ways rays and other marine animals propel themselves with remarkable energy efficiency. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2024

Gates said he was fascinated by her retelling of the upheaval during the 1960s, all seen through her own eyes as the wife of an aide to both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson during their respective time in the Oval Office. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024

With a background in finance and technology, I've always been fascinated by the intersection of these fields and the potential to disrupt traditional models. —Adrien Nejkovic, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin fascinatus, past participle of fascinare, from fascinum evil spell

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Kids Definition

fascinate

verb

fas·​ci·​nate ˈfas-ᵊn-ˌāt 

fascinated; fascinating

1

: to grip the attention of especially so as to take away the power to move, act, or think for oneself

the belief that serpents can fascinate their prey

2

: to cause (someone) to be very interested in something or someone

fascination

ˌfas-ᵊn-ˈā-shən

noun

fascinator

ˈfas-ᵊn-ˌāt-ər

noun