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
They follow his every move, documenting the latest chapter in a career that continues to captivate supporters wherever he plays.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 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
She strung humorous stories along the road like a bright wash and tried to captivate us.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
Throughout his wanderings to piece together her identity, we are never given a definitive explanation of why this woman captivates him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
The fifth instalment of the animated franchise sees Woody, Buzz and Jessie threatened by a new frog-like tablet known as Lilypad, which captivates the film's children.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
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
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
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
He wants the judge to enter a not-guilty verdict, essentially dismissing the case after a weeks-long, televised trial that has captivated Americans.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
“One of the things that captivated me about food was that it brings people together.”
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
What followed was a huge search and rescue mission, which cost Suffolk Police more than £2m, captivated the country and fuelled conspiracy theorists.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 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
Marion grips my hand, captivated by the words of our prime minister.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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
Matt Hudson-Smith was fifth in the 400m, well off Botswana's world champion Collen Kebinatshipi, while Jake Hayward, running in his Wales vest, was eighth in a captivating 1500m race.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 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
The production value is high, storytelling is captivating and hordes of fellow inmates get involved as actors and crew.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
He moved several yards down the beach and began a new equation, captivating his audience with a lengthy explanation of each new and complex symbol.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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.
