as in fascinates
to attract or delight as if by magic
the clown captivated the toddlers with his balloon tricks
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Recent Examples of captivates
His athleticism captivates even the untrained eye, as if he were engineered to fly in skates.
—
Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Her regal stoicism along with her kind, empathetic, reassuring demeanor is the perfect mix that captivates Royal fans globally.
—Janelle Ash , Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 1 Jan. 2026
Its rich blend captivates the senses and leaves a lasting impression.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2025
Traveling to the Real Unreal Universe in Grapevine, this family-friendly multiverse captivates guests with lush tapestries and imaginary swamp-suburban realms.
—Malik Peay, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
Simtec's unparalleled expertise perfectly complements our mission to create an entertainment experience that pushes boundaries and captivates ride-goers worldwide.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
With humor, drama, and unlikely heroes, Rickey’s quest for redemption captivates the nation.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
Blue Film provokes and captivates in equal measure, with the naked honesty of a black box off-off-Broadway play.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025
Inspired by the tradition of the divine feminine, the energetic space captivates with colors, abstract wall art and a goddess sculpture done by the dynamic sister artist duo’s mother.
—Spencer Whaley, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Her regal stoicism along with her kind, empathetic, reassuring demeanor is the perfect mix that captivates Royal fans globally.
—Janelle Ash , Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 1 Jan. 2026
Its rich blend captivates the senses and leaves a lasting impression.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2025
Traveling to the Real Unreal Universe in Grapevine, this family-friendly multiverse captivates guests with lush tapestries and imaginary swamp-suburban realms.
—Malik Peay, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
Simtec's unparalleled expertise perfectly complements our mission to create an entertainment experience that pushes boundaries and captivates ride-goers worldwide.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
With humor, drama, and unlikely heroes, Rickey’s quest for redemption captivates the nation.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
Blue Film provokes and captivates in equal measure, with the naked honesty of a black box off-off-Broadway play.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025
Inspired by the tradition of the divine feminine, the energetic space captivates with colors, abstract wall art and a goddess sculpture done by the dynamic sister artist duo’s mother.
—Spencer Whaley, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivates
Verb
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Then there’s the story of life, which also really fascinates me.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Dec. 2025
-
Kafka’s work still fascinates readers — like Polish filmmaking legend Holland.—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
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For example, a suet cake with mealworms attracts bluebirds, and adding fruit entices mockingbirds, says Stewart.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
16 Dec. 2025
-
While Summer most likely has tonnes of toys and a dog bed, there’s something about cardboard boxes that entices pets.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Ella has shades of Holly Hunter's intense, workaholic producer Jane from Brooks' 1987 masterpiece Broadcast News, the smartest person in any room who both exhausts and enchants everyone around her.—
Esther Zuckerman,
Time,
12 Dec. 2025
-
By bringing these three gestures together, Killam fashions a method that repairs, strengthens, and re-enchants the invisible social fabric that sustains us.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Every year, the actor surprises and delights us with her choice of costume, paying homage to Pamela Anderson one year and channeling Queen Amidala the next.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The victim of his sacrifice is Gretchen, a virgin whom Faust seduces and abandons in his devilish reverie, and who kills their illegitimate child.—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
-
The film follows the deliciously immoral, widowed Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale), who maneuvers, deceives and seduces her way through London and across her relatives' country estates in an effort to find a wealthy husband for herself and her daughter, Frederica (Morfydd Clark).—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
29 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Captivates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivates. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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