fascinating

adjective

fas·​ci·​nat·​ing ˈfas-ˌnā-tiŋ How to pronounce fascinating (audio)
ˈfa-sə-ˌnā-
: extremely interesting or charming : captivating
a fascinating documentary
gave a fascinating account of the expedition
fascinatingly
ˈfas-ˌnā-tiŋ-lē How to pronounce fascinating (audio)
ˈfa-sə-ˌnā-
adverb

Examples of fascinating in a Sentence

the fascinating cities and peoples of central Asia have been intriguing travelers at least since the time of Marco Polo the fascinating—but dubious—legend that Pocahontas rescued John Smith from certain death
Recent Examples on the Web Find it on Amazon Le Labo Santal 33 Le Labo Santal 33 is a fascinating unisex scent, evoking the spirit of the American West. Jose Ryller, Rolling Stone, 1 Dec. 2023 Why would the birds adopt this fascinating sleep cycle? Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Nov. 2023 The drama around OpenAI, its board, and Sam Altman has been a fascinating story that raises a number of ethical leadership issues. Ann Skeet, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2023 This nine-part series, produced by GBH News and reported and hosted by Ian Coss, excavates the whole fascinating story, with an eye toward understanding current-day cynicism and idealism about infrastructure. Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2023 The bags are sold online, but the brand’s flagship outpost in a centuries-old hanok (a traditional Korean home) carries a large collection, alongside a small exhibition that delivers a fascinating peek behind the scenes. Chris Schalkx, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Nov. 2023 Through it all, however, the neighborhood survived and today is one of the most fascinating sections of the city, in no small part because of the foods that have endured and now represent a link to past generations of Jewish cooks. Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2023 These are just some of the fascinating uses for onions in Mr. Kurlansky’s lively cavalcade of onion facts and lore from around the globe and across the ages. Barry Estabrook, WSJ, 24 Nov. 2023 The portrait of Siskel that emerges in Singer’s telling is fascinating. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fascinating.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see fascinate

First Known Use

1618, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fascinating was in 1618

Dictionary Entries Near fascinating

Cite this Entry

“Fascinating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fascinating. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

fascinating

adjective
fas·​ci·​nat·​ing
ˈfas-ə-ˌnāt-iŋ
: extremely interesting or charming
fascinatingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on fascinating

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!