charm 1 of 2

Definition of charmnext
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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

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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

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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
Your individuality and eccentric charms are like a battery in this electric conversation. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026 The show’s charm and niceness turned it into a huge Emmy winner for its first season. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
Continue reading … WATER PLAY – Rescue pup is charmed by humpback whales during boat adventure. FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026 The California native seemed charmed by the flurries, sticking her tongue out to catch a snowflake in midtown Manhattan. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for charm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charm
Noun
  • At Tel Azeka, a little girl found a 3,800-year-old amulet tied to the Canaanite people.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Even his name held magic, being the Kikongo word for amulet or charm.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • On Thursday, the Swiss Federal Tribunal, Switzerland's highest court, announced the approval of Chiles' appeal.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • But hotels are only part of the appeal.
    Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Kucuk said the hotel will have more indoor activities during the cold spell, including a pop-up movie room and board games for families.
    Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Defenders Fisk, Hannah Silcock, Gemma Bonner, Lily Woodham and forwards Leanne Kiernan and Olsson have all spent extended spells on the sidelines.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Another photo included Perry, showing her necklace with a gold Maple Leaf pendant, which may be a nod to her boyfriend’s home country.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
  • For a significant upgrade, start searching for pendants and wall sconces, which are a bit more complicated to install but can offer a high impact on a space.
    Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • But commenters were also fascinated by a series of colorful graphs plotting dose-response curves for individual types of exercise, purporting to show that walking is the best, jogging is good but not too much, swimming is no good at all, and so on.
    Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Though the Durutti Column had been a disaster, Wilson was fascinated by the guitarist, who admired punk’s willfulness even though his own musical taste tended toward jazz, blues, and the classical tradition.
    Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Again, the intention behind his decision to flip the puck deep and go for a change was impeccable, but there was another option there that might have allowed the Canadiens to possess the puck a bit longer.
    Arpon Basu, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
  • And doing so requires the resources, technology and expertise that many institutions do not possess.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • British Vogue reported that Nicola's mother, model Claudia Heffner, added an evil eye talisman to her daughter's wedding dress, along with a message stitched in blue.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Carved from whale bones, reindeer antlers and walrus tusks, these fierce talismans are vengeful spirits traditionally created by shamans to destroy enemies.
    R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • That’s definitely a very big reason for the festival’s sustainability and attractiveness.
    Annika Pham, Variety, 16 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Charm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charm. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.

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