Synonyms of charm

charm 1 of 2

noun

ˈchärm 

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

• amulet
• talisman
• emblem
• mascot
• symbol
• phylactery
• mojo
• fetish
• periapt
• juju
• token
• philter
• totem
• gris-gris
• toadstone

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• spell
• curse
• jinx
• hoodoo
• hex

2

as in appeal

the power of irresistible attraction

a young singer with the kind of charm that turns a performer into a star

Synonyms & Similar Words

• appeal
• attractiveness
• fascination
• attraction
• glamour
• sweetness
• charisma
• allure
• seductiveness
• magic
• magnetism
• pizzazz
• enchantment
• desirability
• oomph
• captivation
• witchery
• force field
• seduction
• animal magnetism
• desirableness
• duende
• delightfulness
• lure
• allurement
• pleasantness
• niceness
• agreeableness
• sex appeal
• call
• pleasingness
• darlingness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• repulsion
• repulsiveness
• unpleasantness
• offensiveness
• disagreeableness
• obnoxiousness
• distastefulness

3

as in spell

a spoken word or set of words believed to have magic power

recited a charm to make the prince fall in love with her

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spell
• glamour
• curse
• incantation
• invocation
• enchantment
• bewitchment
• sorcery
• conjuration
• magic
• abracadabra
• whammy
• hex
• witchcraft
• voodoo
• wizardry
• amulet
• jinx
• talisman
• witchery
• necromancy
• mojo
• cantrip
• conjuring
• voodooism
• bewitchery
• fetish
• phylactery

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

• pendant
• bangle
• locket
• lavaliere
• teardrop

charm

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to fascinate

to attract or delight as if by magic

a quaint seaside village that charms all who visit it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fascinate
• enchant
• delight
• entice
• allure
• seduce
• captivate
• interest
• intrigue
• witch
• lure
• kill
• please
• beguile
• bewitch
• tempt
• draw
• magnetize
• wile
• pull
• entrance
• woo
• disarm
• appeal (to)
• gratify
• invite
• arrest
• enthrall
• enrapture
• court
• beckon
• solicit

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• revolt
• offend
• repel
• annoy
• disgust
• bore
• weary
• irk
• displease
• tire

2

as in to possess

to cast a spell on

in one version of the tale, it is a vengeful fairy who charms Sleeping Beauty so that she falls into a sleep for a hundred years

Synonyms & Similar Words

• possess
• enchant
• spell
• seduce
• curse
• bewitch
• strike
• tempt
• hex
• overlook
• attract
• captivate
• mesmerize
• ensorcell
• fascinate
• jinx
• lure
• beguile
• voodoo
• entice
• spellbind

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• bless

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

Recent Examples of charm

Noun

American sophistication has its sprezzatura—Astaire made an art of it—but characteristically turns effortlessness outward, into charm, something ingratiating and democratic-seeming. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

The rule also exists because, for some less literal-minded people, fading little folk customs — such as this one, marking the seasons — lend charm to an otherwise amorphous era. — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026

Verb

Among those charmed over time was Kurt Cobain, who called their 1969 debut Philosophy of the World his fifth-favorite album. — Steve Hochman, SPIN, 31 Aug. 2026

His charmed early life and promising political career were slowed, but not halted, when he was stricken with polio in his late 30s. — John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026