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
Camille brings an authenticity to every performance that captivates audiences and elevates the choreography.
—
Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
There is no player who captivates Hornets fans, NBA fans, social media and all in this market the way LaMelo does.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2026
For McMechan, the ensemble that captivates her most is Stray Kids.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Their dazzling play captivates the city, and has for some time now.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Vetiver, musk, and papyrus yield a curious aroma that captivates strangers, so much so that a few have even stopped me to inquire about it.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Along with the astonishing views of the Uinta Mountains, the Aspen Camp neighborhood inside the gates of the exclusive Promontory community captivates with a collection of ultramodern homes designed to immerse residents in Park City’s rugged beauty.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026
Football’s coaching carousel is often a wild ride, as college and pro sideline turnover captivates fan bases.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 22 Jan. 2026
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
Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
There is no player who captivates Hornets fans, NBA fans, social media and all in this market the way LaMelo does.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2026
For McMechan, the ensemble that captivates her most is Stray Kids.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Their dazzling play captivates the city, and has for some time now.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Vetiver, musk, and papyrus yield a curious aroma that captivates strangers, so much so that a few have even stopped me to inquire about it.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Along with the astonishing views of the Uinta Mountains, the Aspen Camp neighborhood inside the gates of the exclusive Promontory community captivates with a collection of ultramodern homes designed to immerse residents in Park City’s rugged beauty.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026
Football’s coaching carousel is often a wild ride, as college and pro sideline turnover captivates fan bases.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 22 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivates
Verb
-
What fascinates me most about this girl gang is the intensity, particularly the narrator’s love for fighting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
-
How golfers rely on — and leverage — technology fascinates Skenes, from the numbers culled relative to swing speed and ball flight to how their bodies must be in sync to generate so much club speed.—
Tribune News Service,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Loot boxes in the crosshairs James alleges Valve entices players to pay for a chance to win a rare virtual item, and that those rare items can be traded for real money in accordance with their rarity.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Your starter entices with a spicy-tangy flavor, leading into the classic roasted chicken entree.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
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.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
19 Mar. 2026
-
These breakfast delights might move you from the cinnamon roll camp into a whole different delight for your palate.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
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 23 Mar. 2026.
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