captivate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to hold the attention of by fascinating; enchant
-
an obsolete word for capture
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
captivationnoun
-
captivatinglyadverb
-
captivatornoun
-
uncaptivativeadjective
-
uncaptivatedadjective
-
captivativeadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have captivatedperfect
-
has captivatedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have been captivatingperfect progressive
-
has been captivatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
is captivatingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
am captivatingprogressive 1st person singular
-
are captivatingprogressive
-
captivatingparticiple
-
captivatessingular 3rd person
Past
-
had captivatedperfect
-
were captivatingprogressive plural
-
was captivatingprogressive singular
-
had been captivatingperfect progressive
-
captivatedsimple
-
captivatedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of captivate
First recorded in 1520–30; from Late Latin captīvātus (past participle of captīvāre “to take captive”), equivalent to Latin captīv(us) captive + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
To captivate means to attract others, fascinating or enchanting them. Some people are able to captivate with wit and charm, others with physical beauty, still others with intelligence. Notice the similarity between the verbs captivate and capture. Both come ultimately from the Latin captus "taken captive." Still, while both words mean some sort of hold on someone, capture sounds harsh, as though a trap has been set, while captivate is a softer, more attractive word that suggests there might be a willingness to be caught. Robert S. McNamara, a former U.S. secretary of defense, said, "Coercion, after all, merely captures man. Freedom captivates him.”
Vocabulary lists containing captivate
The Diary of a Young Girl
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Boy Who Invented TV
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Global, which operates ad exchange DAX, acquires hosting platform Captivate Global, a media and entertainment group, announced its acquisition of the hosting platform Captivate yesterday.
From The Verge • Dec. 21, 2021
Although executives didn’t specifically mention a company’s physical office space as a key reason in guiding their decisions, apparently others have, says Captivate Network’s Scott Marden.
From Forbes • Jun. 27, 2013
The most recent entry dates back to July 8, 2007: “Voice Power: Using Your Voice to Captivate, Persuade and Communicate.”
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2013
Since offering its first Android handset in March, AT&T released HTC's Aria in June and has said it will soon offer Samsung Captivate.
From BusinessWeek • Jun. 23, 2010
Captivate, kap′tiv-āt, v.t. to charm: to engage the affections.—adj.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Definitions 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.
