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
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
The monumental win captivated millions worldwide and forever altered the course of women’s sports.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
Jared Weiss, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captivate
Verb
This monumental win captivated millions worldwide and forever altered the course of women’s sports.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
The monumental win captivated millions worldwide and forever altered the course of women’s sports.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Wembanyama’s captivation with the intricacies of space travel was apparent.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivate
Verb
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From legal aspirations to a life of art As a girl, I was fascinated by color, texture and creative expressions.—
Anya Sesay,
jsonline.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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His life’s tapestry reflected a unique business, American and Jewish journey that fascinated and inspired me.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This dynamic has produced a range of figures, from the late Sathya Sai Baba, who claimed to perform miracles, to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, whose appeal lies in his widely popular Art of Living Foundation, which offers yoga and spiritual advice.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Savannah Guthrie opened the family’s plea by thanking supporters for their prayers before describing her mother as the heart of their family and making a direct appeal for contact, stressing Nancy Guthrie’s fragile health and urgent need for medication.—
Adam Sabes , Michael Ruiz , Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Red Hill is creating smaller suites and sprucing up the interior to entice new leases.—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Feb. 2026
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Illinois is offering discounts, including $5 tickets, $1 wings and $7 domestic beers, to try to entice fans.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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United by their resentment of women, incels tend to see attractiveness as a straightforward function of genetics—millimeters, symmetry, skin color—and therefore out of their control.—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
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That’s definitely a very big reason for the festival’s sustainability and attractiveness.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Chris saw the segment and was charmed by the boys.—
Libby Smith,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
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At the Hiut Denim factory in Cardigan, Princess Kate was especially charmed by a cocker spaniel named Barney, sparking a revelation about her own pets.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Ward said her mother was fascinated with the mystery of Amelia Earhart, and that fascination turned into countless trips to air shows and museums.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
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Capasa highlighted how this will have an impact for the next 12 to 36 months, recalling the success of Milan’s Expo in 2015, and underscored the ongoing fascination between fashion and sports, pointing to the example of EA7 Emporio Armani outfitting the Italian team.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
3 Feb. 2026
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Smirk flies under the banner ‘Make Fun, Not War’ and delights to needle and tweak the NFL and the gravitas of its Big Game.—
Greg Cote
February 3,
Miami Herald,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The front steps of the iconic Haunted Mansion attraction at the park will be available as a location for visitors to tie the knot, Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons said in a Wednesday news release.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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While Bad Bunny's halftime show is expected to be the marquee attraction, dozens of performances across San Francisco and the South Bay are set to draw music lovers in the days leading up to kickoff.—
Loureen Ayyoub,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Captivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivate. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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