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

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 enchant But to truly understand what enchanted the Fitzgeralds—and continues to allure visitors—go beyond the hotel and explore Antibes. Jeryl Brunner, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 The Taylor and Travis corn maze will open on Saturday and folks at Johnson Farms hope the visitors will be enchanted. Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025 However, Labyrinth has since become a beloved cult favorite, continuing to enchant and delight viewers. Logan Karlie september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025 Then the picture begins to blur before coming back into clear focus to reveal Novak, still enchanting at 92, standing in a room filled with her paintings. Jeremy Helligar, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for enchant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enchant
Verb
  • Known for roles in Breaking Bad and The Mandalorian, Giancarlo admits that antagonists have always fascinated him because of their complexity.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The Dan Marino quotes lining the walls of Hard Rock Stadium fascinated the AD.
    Noah White, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The current rule allows each team a chance to possess the ball even if the first team scores a touchdown during the extra period, which is 10 minutes long.
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The other team then gets a chance to possess the ball under the same set of circumstances.
    The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Like everyone else who watched it, I was charmed by her sense of humor, her enthusiasm, and her understanding of Southern culture.
    Sid Evans, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Your little prince and princess will be charmed by these pumpkins straight from a fairy tale.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This summer, the Mavericks also brought in free agent guard D'Angelo Russell to spell the injured Irving.
    Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
  • That spells production for this Miami offense, right?
    Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In early September, Jakarta police alleged that some TikTok users purposefully broadcast live during the violence to entice viewers into giving them gifts or virtual prizes that can be exchanged for cash.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
  • There's something wicked about building horror movies around toys, dolls, and other kid-friendly touchstones; they're bound to entice (and potentially scar) curious young audiences more than usual.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Every aspect of this filmmaking recalls the bewitching experience of encountering the supernatural.
    Daniel Noah, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Pork King Good Pumpkin Pie Pork Rinds – Salty, crunchy, cinnamon-y… and utterly bewitching.
    Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Spears has been sharing dancing videos on her Instagram account that have delighted some fans and worried others for at least five years.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
  • As if what delights and obsesses us must have a purpose.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The novel opens as the teenage Karl Rossmann, whose parents shipped him off to America for fathering a child when he was seduced by the family’s thirty-five-year-old cook, arrives on a steamer in New York harbor and sees the Statue of Liberty holding not the emblematic torch but rather a sword.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Her distinctive style stance has seduced the likes of Addison Rae, Ice Spice, Kylie Jenner, Hari Nef, Selena Gomez, Hailey Bieber, Chloë Sevigny and Sarah Jessica Parker.
    Alex Wynne, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enchant. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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