captivated

adjective

cap·​ti·​vat·​ed ˈkap-tə-ˌvā-təd 

: having one's interest or attention held or captured by something or someone charming, beautiful, entertaining, etc.

The captivated audience oohed and aahed as colorful patterns emerged on an overhead screen …

—Jean Hennelly Keith

At dinner, Wayne keeps the conversation smooth, like a captivated courtier seeking Neil's mother's hand.

—David Leavitt

Examples of captivated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While Young held one of the most prestigious trophies in professional golf, his two sons were far more captivated by a drone flying overhead. —Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2026

The phenomenon has long captivated visitors. —Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026

Since debuting in late January, Moltbook has alternately captivated and unnerved industry watchers. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026

The phone is powered by a 20,000mAh battery and also features a loudspeaker that can be used as an alarm, but show attendees were most captivated by its fire-starting functionality. —Angela Moscaritolo, PC Magazine, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for captivated

• abdicated
• abrogated
• acclimated
• activated
• actuated
• adumbrated
• advocated
• aggravated
• aggregated
• agitated
• allocated
• alternated