charm 1 of 2

1
as in amulet
something worn or kept to bring good luck or keep away evil an old cap that I use as a charm for whenever I play softball

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
as in pendant
an ornament worn on a chain around the neck or wrist a dangling charm in the figure of a horse on her bracelet

Synonyms & Similar Words

charm

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word charm different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of charm are allure, attract, captivate, enchant, and fascinate. While all these words mean "to draw another by exerting a powerful influence," charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response, but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

charmed by their hospitality
her performances captivated audiences

When could allure be used to replace charm?

Although the words allure and charm have much in common, allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

When can attract be used instead of charm?

The words attract and charm are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

When might enchant be a better fit than charm?

While in some cases nearly identical to charm, 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

When would fascinate be a good substitute for charm?

The synonyms fascinate and charm are sometimes interchangeable, but fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of charm
Noun
This crowd pleaser, invented by bartender Sam Ross in 2008, gets its charm from two different bittersweet Italian liqueurs, even though the resulting cocktail is neither particularly bitter nor sweet. Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2025 This one's charms feel self-explanatory: Who isn't at least a little fascinated by witchcraft? Colin Dwyer, NPR, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
But Hackman’s character was based on a real agent who was instrumental in solving the killings, and his live-wire performance blunted the fact-checkers, turning Anderson into a progressive fantasy echo of Popeye Doyle who cherry-picked his biography to charm and smash the racists. Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025 Leo Woodall was four years old in 2001, when Renée Zellweger charmed global audiences as the titular hapless romantic of Bridget Jones’s Diary. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for charm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charm
Noun
  • There are also plenty of her scarab rings, jellyfish earrings and even Egyptian amulets enclosed in small glass globes, compounding on the idea of timeless treasures.
    Lily Templeton, WWD, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The amulets and the sculpture were not all the prosecutors said Eldarir was carrying.
    James Barron, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Boasberg blocked their deportation, prompting an immediate appeal from the Justice Department.
    Elliot Spagat, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Mercedes Formula One driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli has climbed up one position from fifth to secure fourth place at the Australian Grand Prix after the five-second penalty was reversed following an appeal by his team.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Patrick is willing to do anything to help his wife but becomes distrustful of the retreat’s enigmatic leader even as Abigail falls under her spell.
    Justin Kroll, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The pair played key roles in Moyes overseeing a renaissance during his four-and-a-half year managerial spell.
    Roshane Thomas, The Athletic, 17 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Figurines like these have been found in Guatemala and elsewhere in El Salvador, and jade pendants unearthed nearby resemble similar artifacts discovered in present-day Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica, per the statement.
    Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Other artifacts found in the San Isidro pyramid structure, such as jade pendants, have also been discovered at excavation sites in modern Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Their affair gives poignant momentum to The Deepest Breath, which is fascinated with athletic obsession.
    Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The grand monuments, enigmatic gods, and legendary rulers of Ancient Egypt have fascinated the world for centuries.
    David Nikel, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Wynn-Williams’ book does possess a feature common to tell-all memoirs.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025
  • In late January, authorities arrested Christopher Kegan Williams, a Sacramento County man who has been charged with murder and possessing drugs for sale in the death of Collanton’s son, 20-year-old Spencer Newsom.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • At Chloé, the faux fur tassels and antique gold talisman charms successfully transitioned the brand’s bohemian energy from spring to fall.
    Sandra Salibian, WWD, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The Athletic’s Mark Carey recently introduced the ‘talisman tax’, which looks at the number of times a player had the last action within their team’s sequence of possession.
    Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Even 75 years after its release, the timeless fairytale continues to enchant audiences with its magic and happily-ever-after love story.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Explore Tallulah Falls Cumberland Island Steeped in history, this enchanting Georgia barrier island feels suspended in time.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Charm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charm. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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