captivate

1 of 2

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

captivator

2 of 2

noun

cap·​ti·​va·​tor ˈkap-tə-ˌvā-tər 

plural -s

: one that captivates

Synonyms of captivate

Verb

• 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

Verb

The play has been captivating audiences for years.

the clown captivated the toddlers with his balloon tricks

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The Lindsay Clancy trial has captivated the nation, spurring furious online debate on the state of maternal healthcare and whether she should be held criminally responsible for killing her three children. — Yasmin Vossoughian, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026

Mahomes found himself in the middle of both, captivated by 17-year-old Spanish forward Lamine Yamal. — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026

Despite a seemingly innate aversion to these images, the internet is captivated. — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

The result has captivated critics and audiences — and affirmed that the film deserved to see the light of day, after coming very close to disappearing into oblivion. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

see captive entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1555, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for captivate

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

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