captivate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
captivates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
captivated,
past participle, past
-
captivating
present participle
verb
-
to hold the attention of by fascinating; enchant
-
an obsolete word for capture
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
captivationnoun
-
captivatornoun
-
captivativeadjective
-
uncaptivatedadjective
-
uncaptivativeadjective
-
captivatinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
captivatesimple
-
captivatessimple
-
have captivatedperfect
-
has captivatedperfect
-
am captivatingprogressive
-
are captivatingprogressive
-
is captivatingprogressive
-
have been captivatingperfect progressive
-
has been captivatingperfect progressive
Past
-
captivatedsimple
-
had captivatedperfect
-
was captivatingprogressive
-
were captivatingprogressive
-
had been captivatingperfect progressive
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.
See Examples For:
He is entirely unrecognizable save for his essential, singular ability to captivate.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
But while the subjects of pleasure and open-mindedness captivate her, on screen Anderson is not letting the industry pigeonhole her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
To learn how to captivate an online audience, Bergstrom studied MrBeast-style creators on YouTube and TikTok.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
The auction also features several of Monroe's personal make-up products, including lipsticks, blush and eyeliner pencil, which the auction company noted has continued to captivate people on TikTok hoping to recreate Monroe's look.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
She was smart and beautiful, with eyes that could captivate a room, and sweet potato pies that were the best in the county.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
The first captivates via a young man’s earnest effusiveness; the second’s effusiveness, tainted by lovelorn glum, deepens.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 25, 2025
With interlocking rhythms and remarkable improvisations, the EP captivates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025
Even when the story lacks, the visual splendor captivates, and Corbet brings intimate and layered performances out of his actors.
From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2025
Becky Hill has a magnificent stage presence and captivates the crowd.
From BBC ● May 24, 2024
They remain aloof from the modern temptation that captivates many in America’s middle class: the temptation to relieve the anonymity of public life by trying to make it intimate.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
Kevin Reddington, who is defending Clancy, had asked the judge to enter a not-guilty verdict, essentially dismissing the case after a weeks-long, televised trial that captivated Americans.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
“One of the things that captivated me about food was that it brings people together.”
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
Among his students was Joshua Boger, a skeptical 19-year-old captivated by Tishler’s scientific adventures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
But while Mosley captivated once again and Maiava came alive, it was Gary Patterson and the Trojans’ defense that really twisted the knife in a dominant 39-0 win for USC.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
We had seen television before, but this was the first time we were captivated by the figures on the screen.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
But Mr. Craighead intersperses his account with his captivating back story of his troubled youth and his search for meaning through righteous aggression and personal sacrifice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
This is easily one of the most fun, captivating tracks of the summer — it’s funky, bouncy, buzzy and everything in between.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
Alcaraz is tennis’s most captivating theater, a riveting positivity rocket of shot-making and court coverage who never seems to be out of any point.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Well, we have a few good examples: people like Zohran Mamdani, Abdul El-Sayed, AOC, who are really captivating.
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026
In spite of his diminutive stature he has a commanding, captivating presence in the room.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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.
