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
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as in riveting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in enchantment
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spellbinding
Jody Rosen, The New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2022
Check out its first direct image of a gas giant exoplanet as well as a spellbinding view of the Phantom Galaxy.
—Ashley Strickland and Katie Hunt, CNN, 3 Sep. 2022
Todd Spangler, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2025
The show’s production value remains (mostly) quite good, and a few of the performances are spellbinding.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spellbinding
Verb
To keep your eyes fixed on him throughout a match is both spellbinding and deadly dull.
—Jody Rosen, The New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2022
Check out its first direct image of a gas giant exoplanet as well as a spellbinding view of the Phantom Galaxy.
—Ashley Strickland and Katie Hunt, CNN, 3 Sep. 2022
Adjective
Hearing these spellbinding performances in our state-of-the-art studios has been nothing short of extraordinary.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
Both were spellbinding experiences that exuded joy and adventure in equal measure, prompting me and other attendees to repeatedly grin and shake our heads in wonder and awe.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2025
The show’s production value remains (mostly) quite good, and a few of the performances are spellbinding.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spellbinding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spellbinding
Adjective
-
Rio’s debut novel is a riveting read with a haunting ending.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
-
But volleyball’s rendition of it has been the most competitive, riveting and nationally relevant – which has proven beneficial for the sport at every level.—
Ray Padilla,
Louisville Courier Journal,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Nearby Cannes offers a different kind of enchantment—one that contains red carpets and cinematic splendor.—
Jeryl Brunner,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
That’s the enchantment of Dream Lake, one of Luray Caverns’ most famous sights.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Then the picture begins to blur before coming back into clear focus to reveal Novak, still enchanting at 92, standing in a room filled with her paintings.—
Jeremy Helligar,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
With 2020’s roguelike Hades, Supergiant Games mastered the hypnotic allure of the live-die-repeat cycle by making every attempt have meaning.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Spacey guitar, hypnotic synths and jazzy percussion bubbled under Zardoya's spell-binding vocals.—
Audrey Gibbs,
Nashville Tennessean,
22 Sep. 2025
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
-
The stories, featuring interwoven poetry, are mesmerizing.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Dejour Alexander has been mesmerizing audiences with his silky-smooth vocals and undeniable stage charisma since his early teens.—
Essence,
Essence,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Childhood is a time of enchantment, and a mother is a daughter’s first sorceress—omnipotent, enthralling, sometimes alarmingly so.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The sequence, which leads to an enthralling chase through the mean streets of New York, features a memorable freestyle between David and the young artist who could have been his disciple.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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 6 Oct. 2025.
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