charm
1 Americannoun
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a power of pleasing or attracting, as through personality or beauty: the charm of a mountain lake.
charm of manner;
the charm of a mountain lake.
- Synonyms:
- allurement, attractiveness
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a trait or feature imparting this power.
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charms, attractiveness.
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a trinket to be worn on a bracelet, necklace, etc.
- Synonyms:
- bauble
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something worn or carried on one's person for its supposed magical effect; amulet.
- Synonyms:
- talisman
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any action supposed to have magical power.
- Synonyms:
- spell, enchantment
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the chanting or recitation of a magic verse or formula.
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a verse or formula credited with magical power.
- Synonyms:
- spell
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Physics. a quantum number assigned the value +1 for one kind of quark, −1 for its antiquark, and 0 for all other quarks. C
verb (used with object)
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to delight or please greatly by beauty, attractiveness, etc.; enchant.
She charmed us with her grace.
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to act upon (someone or something) with or as with a compelling or magical force.
to charm a bird from a tree.
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to endow with or protect by supernatural powers.
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to gain or influence through personal charm.
He charmed a raise out of his boss.
verb (used without object)
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to be fascinating or pleasing.
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to use charms.
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to act as a charm.
noun
noun
noun
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the quality of pleasing, fascinating, or attracting people
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a pleasing or attractive feature
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a small object worn or kept for supposed magical powers of protection; amulet; talisman
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a trinket worn on a bracelet
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a magic spell; enchantment
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a formula or action used in casting such a spell
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physics an internal quantum number of certain elementary particles, used to explain some scattering experiments
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perfectly; successfully
verb
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to attract or fascinate; delight greatly
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to cast a magic spell on
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to protect, influence, or heal, supposedly by magic
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(tr) to influence or obtain by personal charm
he charmed them into believing him
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One of the flavors of quarks, contributing to the charm number—a quantum number—for hadrons.
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A charmed particle is a particle that contains at least one charmed quark or charmed antiquark. The charmed quark was hypothesized to account for the longevity of the J/psi particle and to explain differences in the behavior of leptons and hadrons.
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See more at flavor
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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charmsimple
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charmssimple
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have charmedperfect
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has charmedperfect
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am charmingprogressive
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are charmingprogressive
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is charmingprogressive
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have been charmingperfect progressive
-
has been charmingperfect progressive
Past
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charmedsimple
-
had charmedperfect
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was charmingprogressive
-
were charmingprogressive
-
had been charmingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of charm1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English charme “magical verse or incantation,” from Old French, from Latin carmen “song, magical formula,” from unattested canmen (by dissimilation), equivalent to can(ere) “to sing” + -men noun suffix
Origin of charm2
First recorded in 1520–30 as cherme, dialect variant of chirm “noise, din,” perhaps associated with charm 1 ( def. ) (in the sense “chanting of a magic verse”)
Explanation
A charm is a magical spell or an object that brings luck: it's also a quality of being attractive and pleasing. To charm someone is to attract them. There are several types of charms, but they mostly relate to attraction and good luck. A lucky coin is a charm. The spell of a witch that entrances you is a charm. People with magnetic personalities, who make you want to hang out with them, have charm and are therefore considered charming. Also, to charm someone is to attract them and win them over. Popular politicians charm the masses, and teachers' pets charm their teachers.
Vocabulary lists containing charm
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 3
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The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
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 ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 8
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.
This time his charm didn't work so well, with diplomats reporting a difficult meeting.
From Barron's • Jul. 6, 2026
His charm and social skills made him a star salesman and put him on track for management jobs at major retailers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026
The action, which is not bloody or at all deadly, has the fizzy charm and slapstick charge of prime Jackie Chan.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026
The Tartan Army has arrived in Miami for the team’s match against Brazil, and its charm offensive appears to be going strong.
From Salon • Jun. 24, 2026
Since then, some of the city’s charm had worn off for Farmer.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
