CHARM Synonyms: 135 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

charm 1 of 2

noun

ˈchärm

Definition of charm next

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in appeal

the power of irresistible attraction a young singer with the kind of charm that turns a performer into a star

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in spell

a spoken word or set of words believed to have magic power recited a charm to make the prince fall in love with her

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

as in to fascinate

to attract or delight as if by magic a quaint seaside village that charms all who visit it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to possess

to cast a spell on in one version of the tale, it is a vengeful fairy who charms Sleeping Beauty so that she falls into a sleep for a hundred years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bless

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

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 charm

Noun

Charmed Life Most Popular Fashion A Short History of the Front Row Magazine Inside Vogue’s December Issue Celebrities Jennie Reveals How Cold-Plunging Loosens Up Her Muscles and Opens Up Her Mind Who doesn’t love nail charms? —

Audrey Noble, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2025 This stylish duo of rocking chairs, paired with a compact glass-top table, is an Amazon crowd-pleaser for its blend of comfort, durability, and charm. —

Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 10 Jan. 2025

Verb

Besides, in the years since Stardew, the cozy game scene has expanded beyond the need for farming, and plenty of other cute concepts have charmed their way into our hearts. —

David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024 In recent years, bald eagles have charmed birdwatchers in the heart of New York City, and eagle cams have popped up at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., at U.S. Steel in Pennsylvania and in California's Big Bear Valley. —

CBS News, 25 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for charm

Recent Examples of Synonyms for charm

Noun

Archeologists first discovered the amulet in a cemetery just outside Frankfurt during a 2017 to 2018 dig.

— Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 23 Dec. 2024
The silver amulet was buried with a man in his 30s or 40s who died between 230 and 270 C.E., per the Greek Reporter’s Abdul Moeed.

— Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Dec. 2024