captivate

[ kap-tuh-veyt ]

/ ˈkæp təˌveɪt /

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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.

Nearby words

captation, captcha, caption, captious, captiously, captivate, captivating, captive, captive audience, captive market, captivity

Origin of captivate

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

SYNONYMS FOR captivate

1 fascinate, bewitch, charm.

2 subdue.

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Related forms

cap·ti·vat·ing·ly, adverbcap·ti·va·tion, nouncap·ti·va·tive, adjectivecap·ti·va·tor, noun

un·cap·ti·vat·ed, adjectiveun·cap·ti·vat·ing, adjectiveun·cap·ti·va·tive, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for captivating

Aside from oil, Russia has two great exports: brilliant, heady novelists and captivating dashboard camera videos.
Russian Dashcam Car Chase|Alex Chancey, The Daily Beast Video|October 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But Roitfeld, ever the captivating subject, saves the film from feeling like B-roll.
Carine Roitfeld Documentary ‘Mademoiselle C’ Offers Intimate Look|Isabel Wilkinson|September 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Del Rey is captivating with her new dark tresses and crimson-tinted lips, and a full orchestra plays as her backup band.
Lana Del Rey, Skylar Grey & More Best Music Videos of the Week (VIDEO)|Jean Trinh|May 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Jean Trinh picks the most captivating ones and pairs them with video evidence.
'The Shining': The Craziest Theories Behind the Film|Jean Trinh|March 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST

It makes for fiery, captivating, and even uncomfortable television, which is pretty great to watch.
Barbara Walters Needs to Hire Brooke Shields for ‘The View’|Kevin Fallon|March 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
To me there was nothing of that engaging, captivating manner which I had been taught to expect by many even of her enemies.
Maria Edgeworth|Helen Zimmern
Su-sus beauty was of a most refined style, with a captivating sweetness of voice and grace of movement.
A History of Chinese Literature|Herbert A. Giles
The persons who liked Ruth thought her beautiful; they asserted that her countenance had in it something which was captivating.
Horace Chase|Constance Fenimore Woolson
Whoever he might be, his manner and his talk were captivating.
The Evil Genius|Wilkie Collins
A few years ago, an American woman of captivating address gained great reputation in Paris as a milliner.
The College, the Market, and the Court|Caroline H. Dall

British Dictionary definitions for captivating

captivate

/ (ˈkæptɪˌveɪt) /

verb (tr)

to hold the attention of by fascinating; enchant

an obsolete word for capture

Derived Formscaptivatingly, 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

Word Origin and History for captivating

captivate

1520s, "to enthrall with charm," from Late Latin captivatus, past participle of captivare "to take, capture," from captivus (see captive). Literal sense (1550s) is rare or obsolete in English, which uses capture (q.v.). Latin captare "to take, hold" also had a transferred sense of "to entice, entrap, allure." Related: Captivated; captivating; captivatingly.

captivate

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

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Origin of captivate

Examples from the Web for captivating

British Dictionary definitions for captivating

captivate

verb (tr)

Word Origin for captivate

Word Origin and History for captivating

captivate