as in to fascinate
to attract or delight as if by magic
the clown captivated the toddlers with his balloon tricks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in appeal
the power of irresistible attraction
by some mysterious method of captivation, the therapist is able to evoke a response from even the shiest of children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of captivate
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
Verb
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
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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
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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
Noun
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The infectious energy and Justin Bieber-style appeal of 25-year-old country hitmaker Bailey Zimmerman was not reflected in the CMA nominations.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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The government subsequently dropped its appeal of the magistrate judge’s decision to release Bryant pending his trial, according to a notice on the docket Tuesday evening.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There are tons of enticing cold and hot drinks.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Sep. 2025
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Responding to the demand, and hoping to entice younger shoppers into their financial ecosystems, payment facilitators such as Cash App, the BNPL provider Klarna, the fintech bank Chime, and even American Express have recently launched their own debit cards.—
Michael Waters,
The Atlantic,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The 2000s brought works centered around cars and boats, subjects of lifelong fascination for Grosvenor.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
11 Sep. 2025
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The hearing was the third in as many years in the halls of Congress since fiery testimony in July 2023 reignited public fascination in UFOs – not to mention the possibility that aliens are piloting them.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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However, Labyrinth has since become a beloved cult favorite, continuing to enchant and delight viewers.—
Logan Karlie
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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However, regardless of its attractiveness, investing in a single stock involves high risk.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Toni Collette, whose breakthrough role was the socially awkward title character in 1994’s Muriel’s Wedding, has never shied away from playing women who downplay their attractiveness.—
Gregg Kilday,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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López Lizano spoke with a kind of halting formality, which charmed her.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The arcade, escape room, mining and carnival style games are excluded, and some rides and attractions have height and weight restrictions.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Sep. 2025
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Look back at theme park in photos The awards, established in 1998, shine a spotlight on the amusement park industry and attractions by recognizing the best of the best, according to the publication.—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Captivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivate. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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