charm

play

noun \ ˈchärm \

Definition of charm

1 a :the chanting or reciting of a magic spell :incantation

b :a practice or expression believed to have magic power

2 :something worn about the person to ward off evil or ensure good fortune :amulet

wore a rabbit's foot as a good-luck charm

3 a :a trait that fascinates, allures, or delights

the charm of this imaginative story

b :a physical grace (see ¹grace 3) or attraction —used in plural

her feminine charms

c :compelling attractiveness

the island possessed great charm

4 :a small ornament worn on a bracelet or chain

Her sister presented her with a sterling silver charm for her bracelet.

5 :a fundamental quark that has an electric charge of +²/₃ and a measured energy of approximately 1.5 GeV; also :the flavor characterizing this particle

—

charmless

play \-ləs\ adjective

See charm defined for English-language learners

See charm defined for kids

Examples of charm in a Sentence

He keeps a horseshoe as a good luck charm.
He fell under the spell of her charms.
The resort has many charms.
The inn has a quaint charm.
The island possesses great charm.
The new curtains add charm to the room.
The seaside location is a big part of the house's charm.
He won her over with his charm.

Recent Examples of charm from the Web

The charm of the experiment resided in its simple ingenuity; from common household items Darwin had made a marvelous discovery: 537 plants!

— Longreads, "Late in Life, Thoreau Became a Serious Darwinist," 13 July 2017
The premier’s charm offensive hasn’t yielded much from Trump in return.

— robert hutton, Bloomberg.com, "What Special Relationship? Trump and May to Test Ties at G-20," 5 July 2017
With roots predating the Revolutionary War by more than a hundred years, the seacoast city, an hour's ride north of Boston, is a heady mix of culture, charm and centuries of fascinating history.

— sarah wesley lemire, courant.com, "Portsmouth: Where Naval History, Charm Converge," 5 July 2017
Basic: Your grocery store’s pastry section Reinvented: Ca Va’s bacon cheddar scones and spiced pear and chevre Danishes With its small, intimate tables and bistro charm, Ca Va stands out as one of the most date-worthy brunches on our list.

— kara lewis, kansascity.com, "These 5 Kansas City brunches go beyond scrambled eggs," 3 July 2017
She's parlayed her section of the internet into a bona fide community, using humor, charm, and her own vulnerability as currency.

— anne t. donahue, Cosmopolitan, "Busy Philipps Now Gets Stopped on the Street by Fans of Her Instagram Stories," 30 June 2017
But this week, Tremblay confessed that there is one movie star who has evaded his charms: Harrison Ford.

— vanityfair.com, "10-Year-Old Jacob Tremblay Reveals His “Life’s Regret”," 27 June 2017
And the actors pitch their roles perfectly: Kidman’s breathy calm; Farrell’s charm, just hinting at something dark within it; Fanning’s way of prettily arranging herself, showing off Alice’s newfound power; Dunst’s quiet melancholy.

— moira macdonald, The Seattle Times, "Review: In ‘The Beguiled,’ a girls school turns out to be an unsafe refuge," 27 June 2017
His generosity, mixed with apparent indifference toward material good, both worries and charms friends.

— adam kilgore, chicagotribune.com, "Dennis Rodman's strange, naive fascination with North Korea," 23 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'charm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of charm

Middle English charme, from Anglo-French, from Latin carmen song, from canere to sing — more at chant

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

charm Synonyms

Synonyms

amulet, fetish (also fetich), mascot, mojo, periapt, phylactery, talisman

Antonyms

hoodoo, jinx

Related Words

gris-gris (also grigri), juju, philter, toadstone; emblem, symbol, token, totem

Near Antonyms

curse, hex, spell

charm

verb

Definition of charm

transitive verb

1 a :to affect by or as if by magic :compel

b :to please, soothe, or delight by compelling attraction

charms customers with his suave manner

2 :to endow with or as if with supernatural powers by means of charms; also :to protect by or as if by spells, charms, or supernatural influences

3 :to control (an animal) typically by charms (such as the playing of music)

charm a snake

intransitive verb

1 :to practice magic and enchantment

witches having the power to charm

2 :to have the effect of a charm :fascinate

The village charms by its quaintness.

—

charmer

play \ˈchär-mər\ noun

See charm defined for English-language learners

Examples of charm in a Sentence

The snake was charmed by the music.
He was known for his ability to charm voters.
He charmed the committee into approving his proposal.
I was charmed by the cozy country inn.

Recent Examples of charm from the Web

At a party: Flirting with a few, and charming everyone.

— jenna birch, Teen Vogue, "How to Tell Your Personality Style From the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator," 2 Aug. 2017
For years, colleges and universities were charmed beneficiaries of both demography, with climbing teenage populations, and economics, with a weak economy with growing needs for skilled workers.

— derek thompson, The Atlantic, "This Is the Way the College ‘Bubble’ Ends," 26 July 2017
And, because Rosenberg is a disarming combination of gonzo professional and unchecked fangirl, a Sandra Bullock character waiting to happen, those chefs were charmed.

— christine muhlke, Bon Appetit, "This Is the Woman Behind the World's Best Restaurant," 24 July 2017
While Rachel charms his family, Hot Peter casually sits with an adorable moppet (his niece) on his lap and then tells a story about Rachel's butt that is somehow very cute?

— elizabeth logan, Glamour, "'The Bachelorette' Season 13 Episode 8 Recap: Dean Has an Emotional Hometown," 17 July 2017
And the three spirits – Ashley Fabian, Abigail Hoyt and Paulina Villarreal -- charmed as flying moths.

— janelle gelfand, Cincinnati.com, "'The Magic Flute' a surreal visual extravaganza," 16 July 2017
Cummings, 59, charms its riders, from vacationers to inmates, with her kindness and gregarious personality.

— james briggs, Indianapolis Star, "From Hudnut to Hogsett, this elevator operator has a special relationship with Indianapolis mayors," 10 July 2017
The young prince is often charming in person, but analysts say his rapid rise has also created friction within the ruling family and made Saudi policy less predictable than in recent decades.

— stephen kalin, william maclean, Alaska Dispatch News, "Saudi king empowers young reformer son in succession shakeup," 21 June 2017
The couple was charmed by the Wood River Valley and decided to make a home there.

— audrey dutton, idahostatesman, "Adam West touched many lives in his 30 years as an Idahoan," 10 June 2017

Origin and Etymology of charm

see ¹charm

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

charm Synonyms

Synonyms

allure, beguile, bewitch, captivate, enchant, fascinate, kill, magnetize, wile, witch [archaic]

Related Words

disarm, draw, entice, lure, pull, seduce, tempt; delight, gratify, please; arrest, enrapture, enthrall (or enthral), entrance; appeal (to), interest, intrigue; beckon, court, invite, solicit, woo

Near Antonyms

disgust, offend, repel, revolt; annoy, displease, irk; bore, tire, weary

Synonym Discussion of charm

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

CHARM Defined for English Language Learners

charm

play

noun

Definition of charm for English Language Learners

: something that is believed to have magic powers and especially to prevent bad luck
: a small object that is worn on a chain or bracelet
: a quality that causes someone or something to be very likeable : an attractive quality

charm

verb

Definition of charm for English Language Learners

: to put a spell on (someone or something)
: to cause (someone) to like you or to do what you want by being nice, friendly, etc.
: to attract (someone) by being beautiful or welcoming

CHARM Defined for Kids

charm

play

noun \ ˈchärm \

Definition of charm for Students

1 :an action, word, or phrase believed to have magic powers

2 :something believed to keep away evil and bring good luck

3 :a small decorative object worn on a chain or bracelet

4 :a quality that attracts and pleases

charm

verb

Definition of charm for Students

charmed; charming

1 :to affect or influence by or as if by a magic spell

He charmed the group into supporting him.

2 :fascinate 2, delight

The penguins were all charmed by the sparkling lights and the confusion of the city below.
—Richard and Florence Atwater, Mr. Popper's Penguins

3 :to attract by being graceful, beautiful, or welcoming

I was charmed by the countryside.

4 :to protect by or as if by a charm

She leads a charmed life.

Learn More about charm

See words that rhyme with charm Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for charm Spanish Central: Translation of charm Nglish: Translation of charm for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of charm for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about charm

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charm

Definition of charm

charmless

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charm

Definition of charm

charmer

Examples of charm in a Sentence

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CHARM Defined for English Language Learners

charm

Definition of charm for English Language Learners

charm

Definition of charm for English Language Learners

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