enthralled

American  

[en-thrawld] / ɛnˈθrɔld /

Rarely inthralled

adjective

1. captivated or charmed.

   When I watched Star Wars for the first time as a child, I was absolutely enthralled and enraptured.

2. held in slavery or subjection to some person, group, or thing; subjugated.

   I am unsettled by a world where entertainment is only given by someone else and you must be enthralled to it.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of enthrall.

Etymology

Origin of enthralled

enthrall ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

You are enthralled when filled with delight and wonder at something, to the point where time seems to stand still. Creators of day time soap operas count on viewers being enthralled to make their money. There's a transporting quality to the act of being enthralled, as though you have been, quite literally, whisked away. This is not surprising, given the origin of the word, which comes from two Latin words, en, "to make" or "put in," and thrall, "to hold in mental or moral bondage." So the next time a movie or book (or daytime soap) enthralls you, remember you are indeed being kidnapped in some way.

Example Sentences

Enthralled, I personally commissioned David Stockman, Ronald Reagan’s own legendary budget cutter, to map out how it could be done.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

Enthralled by George C. Scott’s 1982 Broadway revival of Noel Coward’s “Present Laughter,” Rogoff praised Scott’s performance in the role that Coward himself originated.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2024

Enthralled by those abilities, she created A.I. images that showed her sitting on a unicorn floating in an ocean and her wearing a jacket made of Froot Loops.

From New York Times • Sep. 27, 2023

Enthralled, Sharma turned his own backyard into a miniforest, started a planting company called Afforestt and, in 2014, delivered a TED Talk that, along with a 2016 follow-up, ended up drawing millions of views.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 25, 2023

Enthralled by austere traditions and that stern conscience of hers, she had never permitted herself to dream of the possibility of an escape from the parental servitude.

From Anna of the Five Towns by Bennett, Arnold

Related Words

• absorbed
• aroused
• delighted
• enamored
• enchanted
• excited
• intoxicated
• mesmerized
• thrilled