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
Howard SeftelBooks with captivating stories and bright, uncomplicated artwork will enchant the very young without being too demanding.—Ed Zotti
Ed ZottiA 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
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
Mimi Elder
Examples of captivating in a Sentence
a captivating performance by the young singing sensation
Recent Examples on the Web
Founded in 2021 by former Texas Ballet Theater company member Diana Crowder, Pegasus Contemporary Ballet had a breakthrough performance last fall with Crowder’s captivating adaptation of The Martian author Andy Weir’s short story The Egg.
—Manuel Mendoza, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
Yet to understand the movement of cucumbers solely in terms of thigmotropism would be to ignore part of what makes this plant so captivating.
—Andrés Muedano, JSTOR Daily, 25 Mar. 2026
But, not least, the hundreds of pep band members who support their teams with their music, voices and enthusiasm and realize their own dreams of participating in this captivating event.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Entrepreneur Matt Schlicht founded Moltbook, a platform where AI agents could speak with each other without human input, and the results were both captivating and terrifying as agents chatted about everything from productivity to the nature of their existence.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for captivating
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Manuel Mendoza, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
Yet to understand the movement of cucumbers solely in terms of thigmotropism would be to ignore part of what makes this plant so captivating.
—Andrés Muedano, JSTOR Daily, 25 Mar. 2026
But, not least, the hundreds of pep band members who support their teams with their music, voices and enthusiasm and realize their own dreams of participating in this captivating event.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Entrepreneur Matt Schlicht founded Moltbook, a platform where AI agents could speak with each other without human input, and the results were both captivating and terrifying as agents chatted about everything from productivity to the nature of their existence.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for captivating
Cite this Entry
“Captivating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captivating. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
