mesmerize

verb

mes·​mer·​ize ˈmez-mə-ˌrīz 

 also  ˈmes-

mesmerized; mesmerizing

transitive verb

1

: to subject to mesmerism

also : hypnotize

2

: spellbind

I found myself mesmerized by the grandiosity of it all

—Arnold Plotnick

The crowd was mesmerized by the acrobats.

mesmerizer noun

Did you know?

Experts can’t agree on whether Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815) was a quack or a genius, but all concede that the Swabian physician's name is the source of the word mesmerize. In his day, Mesmer was the toast of Paris, where he enjoyed the support of notables including Queen Marie Antoinette. He treated patients with therapeutic procedures (called, appropriately enough, mesmerism) involving what he claimed was a mysterious force termed animal magnetism. (Many believe that mesmerism was what we now call hypnotism). Accordingly, the verb mesmerize was first used to mean "to subject to mesmerism" before broadening to be synonymous with hypnotize, and later to mean "to amaze or captivate."

Synonyms

• arrest
• bedazzle
• catch up
• enchant
• enthrall
• enthral
• fascinate
• grip
• hypnotize
• spellbind

Examples of mesmerize in a Sentence

discovered that the children were mesmerized by a television show

Recent Examples on the Web

Mary Elizabeth Williams, a soprano with a strong lower extension, was mesmerizing in the title role, her superb diction giving emotional edge to a sometimes wooden text. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025

Much of the work is deeply involving and sometimes mesmerizing. —Ray Mark Rinaldi, The Denver Post, 3 Feb. 2025

They were just absolutely mesmerized by everything. —Elise Brisco, Rolling Stone, 2 Feb. 2025

An opera singer was performing on the TV, and when his owners turned the volume up, the 14-week-old puppy became utterly mesmerized. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mesmerize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

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Kids Definition

mesmerize

verb

mes·​mer·​ize ˈmez-mə-ˌrīz 

also

ˈmes- 

mesmerized; mesmerizing

1

: hypnotize

2

: fascinate sense 1, spellbind

Medical Definition

mesmerize

transitive verb

mes·​mer·​ize

variants or British mesmerise

-mə-ˌrīz 

mesmerized or British mesmerised; mesmerizing or British mesmerising

: to subject to mesmerism

also : hypnotize

mesmerization noun

or British mesmerisation

ˌmez-mə-ri-ˈzā-shən