captivate
verb (used with object)
to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant.
captivated
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past participleof captivate.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof captivate.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
captivateverb (used with object)to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant.
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.
Among those captivated during a recent visit was first-time shopper Kevin Smith, a librarian and cat lover.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
The book captivated Edgar Kaufmann Jr.—the son of a Pittsburgh department store owner—so much so that he enrolled in Wright’s Taliesin Fellowship.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
His current research focuses on social media virality, including why people are so captivated by short-form video.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Here’s the thing: Looking back, I do understand the utopian vision that captivated Hong and her fellow partisans.
From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026
Marion grips my hand, captivated by the words of our prime minister.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
