Synonyms

captivate

American

[kap-tuh-veyt] / ˈkæp təˌveɪt /

verb (used with object)

captivated, captivating

to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant.

Her blue eyes and red hair captivated him.

Synonyms:

charm, bewitch, fascinate
Obsolete. to capture; subjugate.

Synonyms:

subdue

captivate British

/ ˈkæptɪˌveɪt /

verb

to hold the attention of by fascinating; enchant
an obsolete word for capture

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

captivatingly adverb
captivation noun
captivative adjective
captivator noun
uncaptivated adjective
uncaptivative adjective

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

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.

It may not be for everyone, but dome-based entertainment clearly has the power to captivate some.

From BBC

The pair's status as public figures partly explains why the case has captivated Germany.

From BBC

She has a captivating smile and, as I soon find out, she’s funny and a good storyteller.

From Los Angeles Times

So far, it has managed to keep its fans captivated with new rollouts like Mini Labubus and new characters like Skullpanda and Twinkle Twinkle.

From The Wall Street Journal

One night he was captivated by a podcast about what was possible with automated code.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023