captivate

verb

cap·​ti·​vate ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt 

captivated; captivating

transitive verb

1

: 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.

2

archaic : seize, capture

captivation

ˌkap-tə-ˈvā-shən 

noun

captivator

ˈkap-tə-ˌvā-tər 

noun

Synonyms of captivate

• fascinate
• entice
• charm
• delight
• seduce

Choose the Right Synonym for 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.

students attracted by the school's locale

allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response,

charmed by their hospitality

but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

her performances captivated audiences

fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

enchant is perhaps the strongest of these terms in stressing the appeal of the agent and the degree of delight evoked in the subject.

hopelessly enchanted by her beauty

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 on the Web

No flower captivates our attention quite like columbine (Aquilegia). —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026

At nearly the same time, book trailers were going to be the new visual medium that would captivate readers who might not otherwise be familiar with the book. —Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026

When Wolfgang overdoses on laudanum, however, Anna Marie performed disguised as Wolfgang donning a dramatic red costume and face paint, captivating the court and drawing the envy of Mozart’s greatest rival, Antonio Salieri. —John Hopewell, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026

Meanwhile, the historic lunar trip captivated most of the country on Wednesday. —Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see captive entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1555, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for captivate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

captivate

verb

cap·​ti·​vate ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt 

captivated; captivating

: to influence or fascinate by some special charm

captivation

ˌkap-tə-ˈvā-shən 

noun