captivate

verb cap·ti·vate \ ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt \

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.

—

captivation

play \ˌkap-tə-ˈvā-shən\ noun

—

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

Here are examples of current and potential applications in basic research and medicine. Captivated by stem cells and their potential to regenerate tissues, other labs were starting to make organoids.

— gunjan sinha, Science | AAAS, "This scientist is building miniature guts, livers, and lungs that could save your life one day," 23 Aug. 2017
Few subjects captivate minds — young and old — quite like astronomy.

— erika rose, Post-Tribune, "IU Northwest astronomy professor explains fascination with upcoming solar eclipse," 10 Aug. 2017
In fact, her prose captivates the reader’s attention throughout all 752 pages for a number of reasons.

— wayne catan, idahostatesman, "Hemingway was a lot more complicated than many of us knew," 28 July 2017
The glamour of fashion and the lure of fame captivated her as a youngster growing up in west Birmingham.

— jonece starr dunigan, AL.com, "From bullied teen to plus-sized fashion entrepreneur, Birmingham woman brings inclusion to the runway," 7 July 2017
Winston, who worked at a Ford plant, ponied up the money for the tuition not covered by a grant. Though music was Elba's first creative passion, his drama classes captivated him more.

— maximillian potter, Esquire, "Have You Asked Idris Elba About James Bond Lately?," 6 July 2017
But in their first meeting, the young graphic designer was captivated.

— elizabeth koh, miamiherald, "Her love story helped build an art scene," 2 July 2017
Princess Grace of Monaco captivated the world by going from a movie star to royalty.

— megan friedman, Country Living, "A Royal Photographer Says Grace Kelly Was "The Most Difficult" to Work With," 27 June 2017
My favorite thing about this season is this final insistence on live performance and the importance of being able to captivate an audience.

— eliza thompson, Cosmopolitan, "Drag Race Champion Sasha Velour on the Moment She Thought She Might Go Home," 26 June 2017

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 captive

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, witch [archaic]

Related Words

disarm, draw, entice, lure, pull, seduce, tempt; delight, gratify, please; arrest, enrapture, enthrall (or enthral), entrance; appeal (to), interest, intrigue; beckon, court, invite, solicit, woo

Near Antonyms

disgust, offend, repel, revolt; annoy, displease, irk; bore, tire, weary

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.