fascinate

verb

fas·​ci·​nate ˈfa-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce fascinate (audio)
fascinated; fascinating ˈfas-ˌnā-tiŋ How to pronounce fascinate (audio)
ˈfa-sə-ˌnā-

transitive verb

1
a
: to command the interest of : allure
was fascinated by carnivals
The kids were fascinated with their new toy.
b
: to transfix (see transfix sense 1) and hold spellbound by an irresistible power
believed that the serpent could fascinate its prey
2
obsolete : bewitch

intransitive verb

: to be irresistibly attractive
the novel's flamboyant cover fascinates
Choose the Right Synonym for fascinate

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 fascinate in a Sentence

a question that fascinates both biologists and anthropologists Her paintings never fail to fascinate.
Recent Examples on the Web That history helps to explain the ongoing tension between China and Taiwan, though the director questions the hand-me-down wisdom on the subject: He’s spent time in China and seems fascinated by the culture thriving there now. Peter Debruge, Variety, 10 Mar. 2024 The author is fascinated by rubato, when a piece—or in this case, a singer—briefly plays with tempo but keeps a song’s overall structure intact. Owen Myers, Pitchfork, 29 Feb. 2024 An empathetic person who cares about others, Zachary is also fascinated by animals and dinosaurs and loves to learn about them in his history classes. The Star, Kansas City Star, 24 Feb. 2024 The designer, who founded her namesake brand in 1979 and launched her first logo T-shirt in 1981, had never been to a fashion show for fear of being influenced by other designers, but was fascinated by what a show could be. Alice Newbold, Vogue, 18 Feb. 2024 Netflix’s mega-hit dating show Love is Blind is back— with viewers once again fascinated with the love-seekers in the pods. Lea Lane, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Laura is a science news writer, covering a wide variety of subjects, but she is particularly fascinated by all things aquatic, paleontology, nanotechnology, and exploring how science influences daily life. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Feb. 2024 As a young boy growing up in Mexico, he was fascinated with the extraterrestrial visitors who routinely touch down on Earth in science-fiction stories. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024 While we are certainly fascinated with celebrity scandals, experts point out that this case in particular dredges up more than idle, eyebrow-raising gossip. David Oliver, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fascinate.' 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

Latin fascinatus, past participle of fascinare, from fascinum evil spell

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of fascinate was in 1591

Dictionary Entries Near fascinate

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

fascinate

verb
fas·​ci·​nate ˈfas-ᵊn-ˌāt How to pronounce fascinate (audio)
fascinated; fascinating
1
: to grip the attention of especially so as to take away the power to move, act, or think for oneself
the belief that serpents can fascinate their prey
2
: to cause (someone) to be very interested in something or someone
fascination
ˌfas-ᵊn-ˈā-shən
noun
fascinator
ˈfas-ᵊn-ˌāt-ər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fascinate

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