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

Its beauty lies in its kind people, mesmerizing wildlife, and remote, hidden landscapes. —Shaun Stanley, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2024

Witnessing dolphins playfully leaping in the mesmerizing bioluminescence near Venice Pier is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024

Beyond the intimate vestibule entrance, 22-foot ceilings soar over a massive great room that spills out onto a covered patio and a swimming pool with mesmerizing mountain vistas. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2024

The opening images plunge us into a roaring conflagration, but Yorick Le Saux’s camera is mesmerized not by burning buildings but by a rogue fire hose, whose high-pressure spray nearly defeats the workers trying to wrest it under control. —Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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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