captivate

[ kap-tuh-veyt ]
/ ˈkæp təˌveɪt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR captivate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing.

to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant: Her blue eyes and red hair captivated him.
Obsolete. to capture; subjugate.

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Origin of captivate

1520–30; < Late Latin captīvātus (past participle of captīvāre to take captive), equivalent to Latin captīv(us) captive + -ātus -ate1

OTHER WORDS FROM captivate

Words nearby captivate

captainship, captan, captcha, caption, captious, captivate, captive, captive audience, captive market, captivity, captopril
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to captivating

grip, gratify, dazzle, bewitch, fascinate, enthrall, seduce, mesmerize, please, delight, hypnotize, beguile, entertain, charm, enrapture, intrigue, infatuate, entrance, lure, win

Example sentences from the Web for captivating

British Dictionary definitions for captivating

captivate
/ (ˈkæptɪˌveɪt) /

verb (tr)

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

Derived forms of captivate

captivatingly, adverbcaptivation, nouncaptivator, noun

Word Origin for captivate

C16: from Late Latin captivāre, from captīvus captive
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