as in riveting
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Dissimilar Words
as in enchantment
Related Words
as in fascinating
to hold the attention of as if by a spell
the tale about pirates and their buried treasure had completely spellbound the children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spellbinding
New Atlas, 21 Mar. 2026
Here was the Rosetta stone — perhaps the most spellbinding and mysterious recording Gary ever made.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The outlines of the Iranian Revolution of 1979 are already seared into the American psyche, but this spellbinding book adds fascinating texture and provides a salutary warning for policymakers today.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 22 Jan. 2026
Experiencing the Valley of the Kings, the Avenue of Sphinxes, and the Colossi of Memnon beneath a spellbinding ring of light promises to be one of the most sublime journeys imaginable.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spellbinding
Adjective
For even more spellbinding photography, check out these architectural images from this year's Sony awards, as well as arresting compositions from the 2025 Minimalist Photography Awards and incredible details in last year's Natural Landscape Photography Awards.
—New Atlas, 21 Mar. 2026
Here was the Rosetta stone — perhaps the most spellbinding and mysterious recording Gary ever made.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
Noun
Bright and spellbinding, glittering and dangerous, London Falling scratches every itch while unwinding this morbid mystery.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The outlines of the Iranian Revolution of 1979 are already seared into the American psyche, but this spellbinding book adds fascinating texture and provides a salutary warning for policymakers today.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Verb
McRae leveled up like few other pop artists in 2025, realizing her full star potential in spellbinding fashion across various singles, albums and performances — and proving pop still had a place in its center for the daughters of Britney and Xtina.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 22 Jan. 2026
Experiencing the Valley of the Kings, the Avenue of Sphinxes, and the Colossi of Memnon beneath a spellbinding ring of light promises to be one of the most sublime journeys imaginable.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spellbinding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spellbinding
Adjective
-
The Field of 64, established in 1985, worked fine, a manageable number that created just enough upsets to make the first round riveting.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
-
The series is riveting and disturbing, culminating with Bateman’s arrest and eventual conviction.—
Maira Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The flamenco term refers to a type of enchantment delivered through an especially evocative vocal performance.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
2 May 2026
-
With anthropological specificity, Nadar attends to the duality of enchantment and disenchantment accompanying the introduction and adoption of new technologies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wilentz, author of the 2010 book Dylan in America, wrote Volume 18‘s detailed, often fascinating 125-page liner notes that provides historical context for the expansive eight-CD set.—
Glenn Peoples,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Once on the ground visitors can enjoy Greenland’s rugged coastal landscapes, fascinating indigenous Inuit culture, and the opportunity to experience the country at its primordial best.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The race there begins somberly in the museum before runners bound up one flight of stairs into a hallway that leads into the main stairwell; from there, the steps settle into continuous, shallow right turns providing a repetitive, hypnotic cadence.—
Michelle Sinclair Colman,
Curbed,
7 May 2026
-
Elevated rooms—some villas sit on stilts above the jungle floor, giving full treehouse vibes—offer total immersion within the thick, humid jungle, underscored by wild birds, hypnotic cicadas, and the swing of mischievous monkeys.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Her work, then, is the work of resuscitation via bewitchment.—
Ocean Vuong,
New Yorker,
19 Apr. 2025
-
But if there is some kind of bewitchment going on in these encounters, Evelyn is entirely immune.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
That studio bosses of today don’t care about enchanting audiences.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Equally enchanting this fashion month were Celine’s colorful leather pouches—particularly in cobalt blue, a trending hue—as seen on Ramya Giangola and Yumi Shin below.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The enthralling ballistic orchestra of internal-combustion engines provide the dramatic soundtrack to a motoring scene nothing short of cinematic.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
11 May 2026
-
Watching the two teams toggle schematic approaches mid-series and adjust rosters in the offseasons to better matchup with one another has produced an enthralling chess match.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There is a quality of trance, of autohypnosis, in her style.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
19 Jan. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Spellbinding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spellbinding. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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