captivating

adjective

cap·​ti·​vat·​ing ˈkap-tə-ˌvā-tiŋ 

: charmingly or irresistibly appealing

a captivating aroma

It's an utterly exotic combination of flavors, and a completely captivating one.

—Howard Seftel

Books with captivating stories and bright, uncomplicated artwork will enchant the very young without being too demanding.

—Ed Zotti

A captivating storyteller, he conveys the cozy domesticity of the small-time growers as well as the Technicolor style of life of the big deal-makers.

—Alison Friesinger

captivatingly adverb

a captivatingly sweet voice

Each room is named for a month, and January through December are captivatingly filled with fanciful hearts, flowers, and vines that trail over the beds, chests, and wardrobes.

—Mimi Elder

Synonyms

• appealing
• charismatic
• attractive
• charming
• enchanting
• fascinating
• seductive

Examples of captivating in a Sentence

a captivating performance by the young singing sensation

Recent Examples on the Web

The entire hour plays with variations on interpersonal connection, sometimes in brief interactions between strangers, sometimes about parenting and childhood, and sometimes seen through Wood’s experience of fame, but the bubble-man story is Wood at his most personal and captivating. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025

This clear-eyed but hopeful track is one of Snell’s most captivating to date, one that declares history doesn’t have to dictate one’s destiny. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 4 Aug. 2025

And the actor, with all his box office draw and cultural cachet, has brought this vital story to life in such a thoughtful and captivating way. —Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025

Probably that the music was loud and captivating, the jorts funny and irreverent, and the house itself accommodating but desperately lacking food of some kind. —Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 4 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for captivating

• abdicating
• abrogating
• activating
• actuating
• advocating
• aggravating
• aggregating
• agitating
• allocating
• alternating
• animating
• annotating