captivated

adjective

cap·​ti·​vat·​ed ˈkap-tə-ˌvā-təd 

: having one's interest or attention held or captured by something or someone charming, beautiful, entertaining, etc.

The captivated audience oohed and aahed as colorful patterns emerged on an overhead screen …

—Jean Hennelly Keith

At dinner, Wayne keeps the conversation smooth, like a captivated courtier seeking Neil's mother's hand.

—David Leavitt

Examples of captivated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The phone is powered by a 20,000mAh battery and also features a loudspeaker that can be used as an alarm, but show attendees were most captivated by its fire-starting functionality. —Angela Moscaritolo, PC Magazine, 7 Mar. 2026

Producers pitched their projects in front of a supportive and captivated audience, as is always the case with animation crowds. —Kevin Giraud, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026

He and Verlander have become inextricably linked, two Tigers aces who have captivated crowds, each won Cy Young Awards and dominated like few in this franchise ever have. —Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026

The 6-foot-1wing is fulfilling the promise of that captivated Schaefer in 2024. —Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for captivated

• abdicated
• abrogated
• acclimated
• activated
• actuated
• adumbrated
• advocated
• aggravated
• aggregated
• agitated
• allocated
• alternated