captivate

verb cap·ti·vate \ ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt \

Updated on: 21 Apr 2018

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

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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

Arizona’s special election has captivated national attention, with Republican groups pouring more resources into a district that President Trump won by 21 points in 2016.

— chris stirewalt, Fox News, "Independents cool on Democratic Congress," 16 Apr. 2018
Unlike Beatlemania, which captivated screaming adolescents, the go-go craze was driven by young adults who liked to dance and were old enough to drink.

— marc myers, WSJ, "When Women’s Empowerment Wore a Go-Go Skirt," 6 Apr. 2018
SportsPulse: Loyola-Chicago captivated the country with its Cinderella run to the Final Four.

— chris solari, Detroit Free Press, "Former Michigan State, Sexton stars reunite at Final Four for Drew Valentine," 1 Apr. 2018
Bone by Yrsa Daley-Ward Bone has captivated readers worldwide since its debut in 2014.

— noor brara, Vogue, "9 Poets to Know for World Poetry Day," 21 Mar. 2018
Griffin blew away everyone with 4.38 40 and captivated everyone with his engaging personality and terrific athleticism.

— john mcclain, San Antonio Express-News, "Combine’s winners and losers," 5 Mar. 2018
Alicia had a way of captivating a room with her charisma and radiant smile.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "Alicia Victoria Webb," 28 Jan. 2018
Even novelist Ernest Hemingway was captivated by the star.

— stephanie nolasco, Fox News, "Marlene Dietrich's grandson addresses rumors about her private life, denies she died a recluse," 28 Mar. 2018
From the moment that Americans first laid eyes on wild horses, we have been captivated by them.

— bob kustra and the reader’s corner team, idahostatesman, "Reader’s Corner: A timely look at America’s mustangs and their place in the Western landscape | Idaho Statesman," 23 Mar. 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

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.