charm

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: the chanting or reciting of a magic spell : incantation
b
: a practice or expression believed to have magic power
2
: something worn about the person to ward off evil or ensure good fortune : amulet
wore a rabbit's foot as a good-luck charm
3
a
: a trait that fascinates, allures, or delights
the charm of this imaginative story
b
: a physical grace (see grace entry 1 sense 3) or attraction
used in plural
her feminine charms
c
: compelling attractiveness
the island possessed great charm
4
: a small ornament worn on a bracelet or chain
Her sister presented her with a sterling silver charm for her bracelet.
5
: a fundamental quark that has an electric charge of +²/₃ and a measured energy of approximately 1.5 GeV
also : the flavor characterizing this particle
charmless adjective

charm

2 of 2

verb

charmed; charming; charms

transitive verb

1
a
: to affect by or as if by magic : compel
b
: to please, soothe, or delight by compelling attraction
charms customers with his suave manner
2
: to endow with or as if with supernatural powers by means of charms
also : to protect by or as if by spells, charms, or supernatural influences
3
: to control (an animal) typically by charms (such as the playing of music)
charm a snake

intransitive verb

1
: to practice magic and enchantment
witches having the power to charm
2
: to have the effect of a charm : fascinate
The village charms by its quaintness.
charmer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for charm

attract, allure, charm, captivate, fascinate, enchant mean to draw another by exerting a powerful influence.

attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response

charmed by their hospitality

, but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

her performances captivated audiences

fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

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

Examples of charm in a Sentence

Noun He keeps a horseshoe as a good luck charm. He fell under the spell of her charms. The resort has many charms. The inn has a quaint charm. The island possesses great charm. The new curtains add charm to the room. The seaside location is a big part of the house's charm. He won her over with his charm. Verb The snake was charmed by the music. He was known for his ability to charm voters. He charmed the committee into approving his proposal. I was charmed by the cozy country inn.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Ray is the rare Renaissance scholar who writes with both erudition and charm for a general audience; the book is as engaging as a highbrow novel. Norman Weinstein, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Mar. 2024 So in an effort to normalize men taking care of their skin, The Rock used his business savvy and charm to create a line that falls into the masstige bucket (accessibility was crucial). Brittany Talarico, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 Channel your inner Jennifer Lopez with similar nail stickers and charms below. Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 7 Mar. 2024 Yet, despite their sweet charm when paired on screen and their strengths as individual performers, there’s bafflingly little spark. Courtney Howard, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 Pro: It can be looked at as a good luck charm, considering the ending had to be rewritten when the Sox won their first World Series in 86 years. Derek Lawrence, EW.com, 5 Mar. 2024 Every Mindspace aesthetic caters to the city’s local feel and charm. Dasha Shunina, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 With Pendants Use functional pendant lights to add farmhouse charm over a kitchen island. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2024 For a truly epic cross-country journey, the Natchez Trace Parkway that meanders through Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee offers a mix of history, scenic beauty, and southern charm. Hilary Tetenbaum, Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024
Verb
Jean Smart charmed the crowd in a hotel bathrobe before handing the Comedy Actress award to Hannah Einbinder. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Some of the advertisers would later tell authorities the man had charmed them. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2024 And a pivotal dance that Tristan uses to charm Connie has been changed from Irish tap to a hip-hop shimmy, modeled by Essiedu (working with the movement directors Sarah Golding and Yukiko Masui) after the stage shows of Childish Gambino and Tyler the Creator. Reggie Ugwu, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Upon their first meeting, Ellis, as suave foreign correspondent Nick Russel, charms Mack with his good looks. Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024 There was something reassuring, and almost touching, about seeing him there, in a tux, earnestly trying to charm a room full of strangers. Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 12 Feb. 2024 Gift this to a friend who loves to host and watch them effortlessly charm their guests with stylish servings. Katiee McKinstry, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024 Worse still, a staggering 87% managed to charm their way through interviews, secure the job, and sign the contract, only to leave their new boss stranded on the very first day. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Europe, 19 Feb. 2024 Kramer was there to look good and help charm the parade of New York journalists and music industry promoters invited to have a drink and hear about the sensational new British band. Glenn Frankel, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'charm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English charme "verse used in incantation, magic spell, the power of such a spell, magic," borrowed from Anglo-French, "magic spell" (also continental Old French), going back to Latin carmin-, carmen "ritual utterance, magical chant, spell, song, poem," dissimilated from *can-men-, from canere "to sing, chant" + -men, resultative noun suffix — more at chant entry 1

Note: P. Fouché regards charme as a learned word rather than a direct continuation of *carmine (Phonétique historique du français, vol. 3 [Paris, 1966], p. 828).

Verb

Middle English charmen "to recite or cast a magic spell, cast a spell on," borrowed from Anglo-French charmer, derivative of charme "magic spell, charm entry 1"

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of charm was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near charm

Cite this Entry

“Charm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charm. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

charm

1 of 2 noun
1
: a word, action, or thing believed to have magic power
2
: something worn to keep away evil and bring good luck
3
: a small ornament worn on a chain or bracelet
4
: a quality that attracts and pleases

charm

2 of 2 verb
1
: to affect or influence by or as if by a magic spell
charm a snake
2
: to protect by or as if by a charm
a charmed life
3
b
: to attract by grace or beauty
charmer noun
Etymology

Noun

Middle English charme "magic word," from early French charme (same meaning), from Latin carmen "song," from canere "to sing" — related to chant, chantey

More from Merriam-Webster on charm

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!