capture someone's imagination

: an act or instance of capturing: such as

: an act of catching, winning, or gaining control by force, stratagem, or guile

: a move in a board game (such as chess or checkers) that gains an opponent's piece

: to take captive

: to gain or win especially through effort

: to emphasize, represent, or preserve (something, such as a scene, mood, or quality) in a more or less permanent form

: some person : somebody

: the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality

: creative ability

: ability to confront and deal with a problem : resourcefulness