- present participle of mesmerize.
mesmerizing
Americanadjective
-
completely engrossing; captivating or fascinating.
He spoke to us extemporaneously for at least two hours, weaving a mesmerizing tapestry of wisdom.
-
hypnotic or hypnotizing; having a trancelike effect similar to hypnosis.
The song’s simple repetition of the word “Hallelujah” is comforting, mesmerizing, and uplifting.
Etymology
Origin of mesmerizing
Explanation
If something catches and holds your attention, as if by magic, it's mesmerizing. You might find yourself unable to look away from the mesmerizing display of fireworks overhead. In the 1780s, an Austrian doctor named Franz Mesmer developed a popular medical treatment based on hypnosis. The word mesmerizing comes from his last name, and it originally described actions that induced a hypnotic state. Today it's used for enthralling or fascinating things, like falling snow, your cat's eyes, a sonorous voice reading you a story, or someone who's so wonderful you can't stop thinking about them.
Vocabulary lists containing mesmerizing
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Pelé (1940–2022) Tribute List
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The Infinite Questions of Dottie Bing
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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.
The following “Marianne,” with its mesmerizing bassline, is an extension of the opener’s narrative.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
A collaboration with the producer the Alchemist, the R&B singer’s first studio album in 16 years is woozy, eccentric and often mesmerizing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
The band closed out with their best song, the mellowly mesmerizing “Blue Coupe.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Challenged with creating movements that speak to character and story, layering a bold, physical narrative over a written one, this season’s Emmy-nominated choreographers made mesmerizing scenes come to life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
The slapping and dripping of food was so mesmerizing that I didn’t notice the pile of cilantro the lunch lady dumped on my serving of guacamole until I slid out of line.
From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez
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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.
