mesmerize

verb

mes·​mer·​ize ˈmez-mə-ˌrīz 

also ˈmes-

mesmerized; mesmerizing

transitive verb

1

: to subject to mesmerism

also : hypnotize

2

: spellbind

… I found myself mesmerized by the grandiosity of it all.

—Arnold Plotnick

The crowd was mesmerized by the acrobats.

mesmerizer noun

Did you know?

Experts can’t agree on whether Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815) was a quack or a genius, but all concede that the Swabian physician's name is the source of the word mesmerize. In his day, Mesmer was the toast of Paris, where he enjoyed the support of notables including Queen Marie Antoinette. He treated patients with therapeutic procedures (called, appropriately enough, mesmerism) involving what he claimed was a mysterious force termed animal magnetism. (Many believe that mesmerism was what we now call hypnotism). Accordingly, the verb mesmerize was first used to mean "to subject to mesmerism" before broadening to be synonymous with hypnotize, and later to mean "to amaze or captivate."

Synonyms of mesmerize

• fascinate
• enchant

Examples of mesmerize in a Sentence

discovered that the children were mesmerized by a television show

Recent Examples on the Web

Whizzing up and down the hills of San Francisco, I was at once mesmerized by the steering wheel turning on its own and a bit scared of the occasional jerk and sudden stop. — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2026

Amy Adams is mesmerizing as our troubled heroine, with Patricia Clarkson as her overbearing mother and Eliza Scanlen as her mysterious half-sister. — Radhika Seth, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026

The book is mesmerizing on parental love and as a weird tale. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 Oct. 2026

Fielder himself is reluctantly mesmerized, initially with the unlikely nature of the project — who on earth invites a film crew into their home mere days before Mommy goes to prison? — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

mesmer(ism) + -ize

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mesmerize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

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Kids Definition

mesmerize

verb

mes·​mer·​ize ˈmez-mə-ˌrīz 

also

ˈmes- 

mesmerized; mesmerizing

1

: hypnotize

2

: fascinate sense 1, spellbind

Medical Definition

mesmerize

transitive verb

mes·​mer·​ize

variants or British mesmerise

-mə-ˌrīz 

mesmerized or British mesmerised; mesmerizing or British mesmerising

: to subject to mesmerism

also : hypnotize

mesmerization noun

or British mesmerisation

ˌmez-mə-ri-ˈzā-shən