enchant

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of enchant are allure, attract, captivate, charm, and fascinate. While all these words mean "to draw another by exerting a powerful influence," 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

Where would allure be a reasonable alternative to enchant?

The synonyms allure and enchant are sometimes interchangeable, but allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

When is attract a more appropriate choice than enchant?

The meanings of attract and enchant largely overlap; however, attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

How do charm and captivate relate to one another, in the sense of enchant?

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

In what contexts can fascinate take the place of enchant?

The words fascinate and enchant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

Examples 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 enchant Surrounded by stunning blue skies, craggy peaks and towering pines, my family was just as enchanted by the site as Penrose must have been a century ago. Carley Thornell, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024 While many TikTokers are enchanted by the unconventional adoption story, others are raising concerns about potential health risks, specifically relating to toxoplasmosis. Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024 The performer’s captivating performances will blend tales of his travels and sailing adventures, accompanied by enchanting melodies from the ship's Steinway & Sons grand piano. Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 On my most recent trip, I was enchanted by the sight of elephants bathing and frolicking in the river. Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for enchant 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enchant
Verb
  • 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
Verb
  • Sanders possesses the requisite traits to be a solid starter.
    Gavino Borquez, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
  • The film was way ahead of its time with Fox as a demon possessed it girl, seducing and devouring mainly men.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Writer-director Margolin based the character on his real grandmother, Thelma Post, and the low-budget indie charmed the festival circuit before grossing over $12 million at the box office.
    Jenelle Riley, Variety, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Disney’s surfer girl sequel continues to charm with a current international weekend of $57.2M from 52 offshore markets (-44%).
    Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 15 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • In the original Norwegian, Bragi is spelled Brage (pronounced BROG-eh).
    Max Norman, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2024
  • Onlookers watched as the artists carefully filled in each letter etched on the walls of the gallery to spell EPHEMERAL.
    Sommer Brugal, Axios, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Email newsletters are admittedly pretty common, but those that entice audiences to routinely click through and engage with their content are a rare breed.
    Jodi Amendola, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
  • China extends visa-free transit policy China has tripled the amount of time visitors can spend in the country without a visa in yet another move to entice more foreign tourists.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • There’s the music video — still perhaps the greatest of the 21st century so far — full of bathhouse coffins, exploding beds, disorienting contact lenses and bewitching dance moves.
    Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Based on the novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs, the film follows its lead man, Lee, through Mexico City as he gets bewitched by Allerton — based on Burroughs’s real-life fascination with a man named Adelbert Lewis Marker.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • But in Beverly Hills, the institutions still endure and keep finding new ways to delight their guests.
    Andy Wang, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • From classic comfort food to gourmet delights, these local restaurants are offering mouthwatering to-go meals that'll make your holiday season a whole lot easier (and tastier).
    Ana Gutierrez, Austin American-Statesman, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The film was way ahead of its time with Fox as a demon possessed it girl, seducing and devouring mainly men.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
  • In one scene, Naomi seduces Jordan by walking into the room wearing nothing but stockings and shoes.
    Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near enchant

Cite this Entry

“Enchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enchant. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on enchant

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