spellbound

adjective

spell·​bound ˈspel-ˌbau̇nd How to pronounce spellbound (audio)
Synonyms of spellbound
: held by or as if by a spell

Synonyms of spellbound

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Examples of spellbound in a Sentence

The children were spellbound by the puppet show. She's a storyteller that will hold you spellbound.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The result was a strangely spellbound life. — Merve Emre, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025 The town was spellbound over this horrific murders. — Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2026 Kingly legacy Isaacs was equally spellbound by the Zulu. — Adam L. Rovner, The Conversation, 31 Oct. 2025 The waxing and waning of the substorm conditions fuel auroras all night, keeping us spellbound for hours. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 17 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spellbound

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spellbound was in 1785

Rhymes for spellbound

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Browse Nearby Words

spellbinding
spellbound
spell-check
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Cite this Entry

“Spellbound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spellbound. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

spellbound

adjective
spell·​bound ˈspel-ˈbau̇nd How to pronounce spellbound (audio)
: held by or as if by a spell

More from Merriam-Webster on spellbound

Nglish: Translation of spellbound for Spanish Speakers

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