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

Hollidge and Eshaghpour were captivated by Frank’s use of straw, which becomes more or less lustrous depending on how hard it’s rubbed (bringing out the material’s natural silica) and can be dyed to achieve different hues. — Jill Singer, Curbed, 23 Sep. 2026

After years of captivating users with endless swipes, dating apps are now trying to get people to put their phones down and find connection in the real world. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026

But one thing is certain, the story of Lizzie Borden will continue to captivate for years and years to come. — Steve Belanger, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

More than a century later, visitors can stand on the estate, look across the Blue Ridge Mountains, and take in the same distant view of Mount Pisgah that first captivated a young George Vanderbilt. — Abby Price, Southern Living, 16 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