enthralling
Britishadjective
Explanation
Something enthralling is fascinating — you become completely absorbed in it. An enthralling book is hard to put down, even when it's past your bedtime. When things captivate or grip you, they're enthralling. You can find another person enthralling, or a well-made movie, a wonderful concert, or an entrancing painting in a museum. Enthralling comes from the verb enthrall, which means "capture one's attention," but had the original meaning of "enslave." The word comes from the prefix en-, "make or put in," and thrall, from the Old English þræl, "serf or slave."
Vocabulary lists containing enthralling
Pay Attention! Synonyms for "Interesting"
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Words to Describe a Novel or a Story
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"The Picture of Dorian Gray," Vocabulary from Preface-Chapter 4
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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.
Mr. Fielder’s conversations with her and Mr. Evans are so revealing, unflattering and bizarrely enthralling that this film promises to be the talk of the fall.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
The match itself was enthralling - no way could it be described as a tactical battle.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Vozinha's mother was not able to attend the Spain match because of the high cost of obtaining a visa to enter the USA but she was present in Miami, and treated to an enthralling display.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
The play was categorized by the Tony committee as a revival, but it’s really an original drama — one that gave rise to one of the most enthralling productions of the year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
Up close, however, it was somewhat less enthralling.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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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.
