fascination

noun

fas·​ci·​na·​tion ˌfa-sə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce fascination (audio)
1
a
: the quality or power of fascinating
b
: something fascinating
2
: the state of being fascinated : the state of feeling an intense interest in something

Examples of fascination in a Sentence

the fascination that the subject of dinosaurs has for most children
Recent Examples on the Web Before their downfalls, Comstock liked watching their videos out of pure fascination. Fortesa Latifi, Washington Post, 22 Sep. 2023 Thanks to one person, anyone can see how hurtful and rude fascination can be for people with dwarfism. Rachel Swalin, Health, 20 Sep. 2023 The risks posed by AI have been front and center in public debates throughout 2023 since the technology vaulted into the public consciousness, becoming the subject of fascination in the press. Bypaolo Confino, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2023 Vacheron Constantin debuted the new Overseas Self-Winding Gold in Iceland with its new ambassador, Zaria Forman, an artist and explorer whose work reflects her fascination with the landscapes of Iceland, including glaciers that are disappearing into the sea. Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2023 Indulge your passions, obsessions and fascinations. Nancy Black, cleveland, 17 Sep. 2023 Yet his political views remained an object of fascination for many, in part because his younger brother, William J. Bennett, rose to become a prominent conservative voice while serving as education secretary under Ronald Reagan and federal drug czar under Bush. Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2023 Their relationship of mutual admiration and fascination has become so legendary that the Estes Park restaurant Bird & Jim is named for the unusual duo. Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Sep. 2023 But as their cases continue, the interest in the specifics of Franke’s and Hildebrandt’s cases could easily tip from fascination into active harm — especially in the lives of Franke and Hildebrandt’s children. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fascination was in 1605

Dictionary Entries Near fascination

Cite this Entry

“Fascination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fascination. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.

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