Synonym Chooser

How is the word captivate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of captivate are allure, attract, charm, enchant, and fascinate. While all these words mean "to draw another by exerting a powerful influence," charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response, but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

charmed by their hospitality
her performances captivated audiences

When can allure be used instead of captivate?

In some situations, the words allure and captivate are roughly equivalent. However, allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

When could attract be used to replace captivate?

The meanings of attract and captivate largely overlap; however, attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

When would enchant be a good substitute for captivate?

While in some cases nearly identical to captivate, 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

When might fascinate be a better fit than captivate?

While the synonyms fascinate and captivate are close in meaning, fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of captivate From a young age, I was captivated by animals, plants and fairytales. Kyle Roderick, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 His voice took a few beats to settle, but in the meantime who wouldn’t be captivated by Martin’s joyful skips, knee bends, winks and grins? Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025 Authorities in New Hampshire have identified the last unknown victim in a notorious cold case that has captivated investigators for nearly four decades. Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 Both captivated audiences with their inventive spin on musical comedies, featuring dynamic choreography and songs drawn from some of the biggest hits in Spanish and Latin pop music. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for captivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivate
Verb
  • Molina, who is fascinated by silver screen legend Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez), distracts himself and Valentín with a recounting of his favorite film of hers — The Kiss of the Spider Woman.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
  • That kind of content always fascinated me, both sides of it, actually, the victimology and the perpetrator’s perspective.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The increase in payments to insurers could be seen as a way to entice Medicare beneficiaries to move to Medicare Advantage.
    Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Because while the perks of his elevated status are enticing, maintaining his dominance is as difficult as establishing it.
    Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Taylor and Travis corn maze will open on Saturday and folks at Johnson Farms hope the visitors will be enchanted.
    Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
  • However, Labyrinth has since become a beloved cult favorite, continuing to enchant and delight viewers.
    Logan Karlie September 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The post quickly gained attention on the platform, drawing laughter from viewers charmed by the pet's adventurous spirit and unfazed attitude.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
  • López Lizano spoke with a kind of halting formality, which charmed her.
    Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The guests were delighted by the surprise fireworks show.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Girl Violence, the result of that introspection, announces Strauss’ new chapter with songs that bloom and twist around themselves, echoing the fear and delight and increasing clear-eyedness that came along with each fresh experience.
    Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • These two energies seduced me to find womxn who, through their artistic work, were open to rebellious acts such as publishing art books on essential topics.
    Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • What really happened was that Cherry seduced Daniel into leaving after spotting her ex-boyfriend Nicholas’s new fiancée.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Captivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivate. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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