- present participle of charm.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of charming
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; charm 1 + -ing 2
Explanation
Something charming is usually pleasing or delightful. More rarely, it can be something supernatural. Charms are magical objects and something charming puts you under its spell. In most cases, we mean that only figuratively — if you spent a charming evening with friends, it means their company was so wonderful it was almost enchanting. Charming people have a special, almost magical way of making others like them. But if you're talking about a charming witch, you better watch out for her sorcery and magic tricks.
Vocabulary lists containing charming
Positive Words to Describe a Person
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Positive Words to Describe People, List 1
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Real Nice!
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But they knew they wanted an actor who could be, at once, charming and scary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Along with fantasizing about exotic locations and charming apartments, we encourage you to spend some time on the boring yet important daily life stuff.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
It’s kind of charming, if you think about it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
Tom Hanks’ directorial debut, which was released to critical praise but was a box office disappointment, doesn’t hinge on the charming, passable performances of its lead actors.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
August is gracious, charming, and mischievous—so much so that as the evening wears on I begin to think the incident with Rex was just a joke gone awry.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
