captivate

verb

ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt How to pronounce captivate (audio)
Definition of captivatenext
as in to fascinate
to attract or delight as if by magic the clown captivated the toddlers with his balloon tricks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of captivate are allure, attract, charm, 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 can allure be used instead of captivate?

In some situations, the words allure and captivate are roughly equivalent. However, allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

When could attract be used to replace captivate?

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

students attracted by the school's locale

When would enchant be a good substitute for captivate?

While in some cases nearly identical to captivate, 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 might fascinate be a better fit than captivate?

While the synonyms fascinate and captivate are close in meaning, 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 captivate Fatima is also a gifted student, captivated in class as her buddies goof off around her. —Jon Frosch, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025 All about sustainable beauty, fashion, design, and wellness Since it was first unveiled at picturesque Taormina, Sicily in 2012, Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Moda shows have proven to be the most exclusive, and visually captivating of all fashion spectacles. —Bianca Salonga, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025 But Jacob’s heart is with Rachel, whose beauty has captivated him. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 May 2025 The story has captivated filmmakers for a few years now, with a previous incarnation of the project having Lenny Abrahamson (Room) as director. —Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for captivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivate
  1. fascinate
  2. entice
  3. enchant
  4. charm
  5. delight
  6. seduce
Verb
  • Fahy is a lot of fun playing against recent type as a blue-collar woman who has zero interest in the glamorous, opulent world that so fascinates her sister.
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
  • Written by Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong, the first-ever inside account of the Supreme Court fascinated her.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Definition of fascinate
Verb
  • The Navy also has spent considerably more than the others to entice sailors to reenlist, doling out retention bonuses to roughly 70,000 service members for each of the past three years.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025
  • Duffy recently announced a sweeping program to upgrade the agency's technology infrastructure, as well as hiring incentives to entice more would-be air traffic controllers.
    — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Definition of entice
Verb
  • The sequel to Practical Magic is aiming to enchant viewers in the fall of 2026.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2025
  • She was enchanted by the centuries-old wood plank floors, scarred and slightly sloped.
    — Leilani Marie Labong, Architectural Digest, 5 May 2025
Definition of enchant
Verb
  • Moore's Michaela is mysterious, commanding, and beyond wealthy, described in the trailer and elsewhere as someone with the ability to charm into subservience.
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 22 May 2025
  • Viewers on TikTok were charmed by the emotional reunion.
    — Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025
Definition of charm
Verb
  • This has delighted Cruise's fans online, who can't stop posting about Cruise's love for a buttery tub.
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 22 May 2025
  • With more than 155,000 upvotes on TikTok, Milo's inclusion in his owner's daily prayers delighted internet users.
    — Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025
Definition of delight
Verb
  • Sirens is smartest when paralleling the entitlement of 21st century American wealth with Ancient Greek divinity, skewering the insularity and entitlement of these modern plutocrats who throw galas to honor themselves and to torment or seduce the mortals who are their employees and playthings.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2025
  • This would suck capital investment back to America in a nanosecond and financially seduce companies to reshore factories, labs and headquarters back here with bargain-low tax rates.
    — Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 14 May 2025
Definition of seduce

Browse Nearby Words

captiousness
captivate
captivated
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Cite this Entry

“Captivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivate. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

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