Definition of charmnext
1
as in amulet
something worn or kept to bring good luck or keep away evil an old cap that I use as a charm for whenever I play softball

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
as in pendant
an ornament worn on a chain around the neck or wrist a dangling charm in the figure of a horse on her bracelet

Synonyms & Similar Words

charm

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of charm are allure, attract, captivate, 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 could allure be used to replace charm?

Although the words allure and charm have much in common, allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

When can attract be used instead of charm?

The words attract and charm are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

When might enchant be a better fit than charm?

While in some cases nearly identical to charm, 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 would fascinate be a good substitute for charm?

The synonyms fascinate and charm are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 charm
Noun
There are other things at play as well; Todd is clearly jealous of his wife’s relationship with her Vice President and Kate is aware that her husband has a certain charm. Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026 Come June, Winnipesaukee and its neighbors crowd with pleasure-cruisers in pontoon boats, sunbathers loll on every spare strip of sand, and the region’s small towns feel almost ludicrous in their quaint New England charms. Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
As John and Gates are playing cards, with the con man still working on charming the agent, the first guard assigned outside in the hallway drops. Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 And as always, Reacher’s bone-dry and hyper-literal wit continues to charm in this new adventure from showrunner Nick Santora (this time adapting author Lee Child’s Gone Tomorrow). James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for charm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charm
Noun
  • As for the Speed, the museum returned three ceremonial objects (a rattle, a beaded pipe bag, and a beaded turtle amulet) and 21 other items, among them beaded pouches and bags, moccasins, a coup stick, a cradleboard, and a lance.
    Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Supporters hoisted their children toward her or presented her with gifts—amulets, handwritten notes, rosaries, prayer cards.
    Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 23 July 2026
Noun
  • This week, during the same appeal hearing, prosecutors are mounting a separate argument that her prison sentence of 33 years with no parole isn’t long enough.
    Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The Powells, who have spent years returning to Sandals resorts, understand that appeal.
    Judith Garrison, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Michael Carrick is aiming to build on the positive early signs from his interim spell, while the club has made some useful additions.
    Dean Jones, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • For a spell in the last few years, he became known for cartoonishly long nail extensions, lacquered and bejeweled.
    Abigail Sylvor Greenberg, Vanity Fair, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The table is custom by Moir Wade, the pendant is from Pottery Barn, and the window treatment is made with a Designers Guild fabric.
    Laura Regensdorf, Architectural Digest, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Apple has also worked on a neck- or shirt-worn pendant with a camera as part of its AI wearables strategy.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The tension, the uncertainty, the hovering between bravery and cowardice captures some of what fascinated me in Muriel Rukeyser’s novel Savage Coast.
    Anne E. Fernald, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Garfield remembers being fascinated by the rows of VHS tapes and the possibilities behind their covers.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Between impressive center depth and a prospect pool brimming with guys who possess playoff-style traits, the Mammoth have a well-rounded system that should turn this franchise into a perennial playoff contender.
    Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Hamed Alsaidi, 31, has been charged with eight counts of possessing an unregistered destructive device.
    Todd Feurer, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • As the legend goes, the designer found a metal star on the streets of Paris early in his career, then kept it as a talisman.
    Jenny Berg, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Spain’s superpower was a coherent tactical system that no other national team — or their respective talismans — could find an answer to.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The stakes are high, with victory on the track bringing in prize money and enhancing the team’s attractiveness to sponsors like Petronas and Microsoft.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But these concerns do not eliminate bitcoin's attractiveness in a fiscally dominant macroenvironment.
    Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Charm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charm. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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