captivate

verb cap·ti·vate \ ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: captivate in a Sentence

Definition of captivate

captivated; captivating

transitive verb

1 archaic : seize, capture

2 : to influence and dominate by some special charm, art, or trait and with an irresistible appeal

We were captivated by her beauty.

The scenery captivated our attention.

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captivation

play \ˌkap-tə-ˈvā-shən\ noun

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captivator

play \ˈkap-tə-ˌvā-tər\ noun

See captivate defined for English-language learners

See captivate defined for kids

Examples of captivate in a Sentence

The play has been captivating audiences for years.
the clown captivated the toddlers with his balloon tricks

Recent Examples of captivate from the Web

The first responders to a crisis that would soon captivate millions were the musicians in her yard, Napasorn said.

— shibani mahtani, Washington Post, "‘Time is running out’: Inside the treacherous rescue of boys trapped in a Thai cave," 13 July 2018
Separated by a few years in age (Phil 48, Tiger 42) and a more than a few major titles (Tiger 14, Phil 5), their side-by-side careers have long captivated us regardless of any gap, driving the sport to unprecedented levels of popularity.

— tara sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, "Some head-to-head dream matchups we wish we could see," 12 July 2018
The news story that captivated people for weeks is officially going to be a movie.

— rebecca farley, refinery29.com, "The Harrowing Tale Of The Boys In The Cave Is Already Going To Be A Movie," 11 July 2018
In more recent years, a string of new faces has charmed and captivated us once again.

— catherine piercy, Vogue, "American Beauty! 33 Legendary Models Made in the USA," 4 July 2018
The raccoon that captivated America this week encompassed this duality.

— SFChronicle.com, "Last Word: The raccoon that rose above," 15 June 2018
Aaron also had a taste for exploration and tests of fortitude: hiking and wandering through the woods in Maine, where his family vacationed every summer, and wrestling, a sport whose demand for martial discipline captivated him.

— New York Times, "The Wounds of the Drone Warrior," 13 June 2018
The rescue mission captivated the world after the group was discovered by two British divers on July 2.

— nicole darrah, Fox News, "Thai cave where soccer team was trapped will become a 'living museum,' official says," 12 July 2018
This World Cup has captivated the nation as England reached the semi final of the tournament for only the third time in their history.

— SI.com, "How Social Media Helped Create a Positive Atmosphere for England to Thrive in During World Cup Run," 12 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'captivate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of captivate

see ¹captive

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1555

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

captivate Synonyms

Synonyms

allure, beguile, bewitch, charm, enchant, fascinate, kill, magnetize, wile;

Near Antonyms

disgust, offend, repel, revolt;

annoy, displease, irk;

bore, tire, weary;

delight, gratify, please;

arrest, enrapture, enthrall (or enthral), entrance;

appeal (to), interest, intrigue;

beckon, court, invite, solicit, woo;

Synonym Discussion of captivate

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.