charm
1 Americannoun
-
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
-
a trait or feature imparting this power.
-
charms, attractiveness.
-
a trinket to be worn on a bracelet, necklace, etc.
- Synonyms:
- bauble
-
something worn or carried on one's person for its supposed magical effect; amulet.
- Synonyms:
- talisman
-
any action supposed to have magical power.
- Synonyms:
- spell, enchantment
-
the chanting or recitation of a magic verse or formula.
-
a verse or formula credited with magical power.
- Synonyms:
- spell
-
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)
-
charms,
present (3rd person singular)
-
charmed,
past participle, past
-
charming
present participle
-
to delight or please greatly by beauty, attractiveness, etc.; enchant.
She charmed us with her grace.
-
to act upon (someone or something) with or as with a compelling or magical force.
to charm a bird from a tree.
-
to endow with or protect by supernatural powers.
-
to gain or influence through personal charm.
He charmed a raise out of his boss.
verb (used without object)
-
charms,
present (3rd person singular)
-
charmed,
past participle, past
-
charming
present participle
-
to be fascinating or pleasing.
-
to use charms.
-
to act as a charm.
noun
noun
noun
-
the quality of pleasing, fascinating, or attracting people
-
a pleasing or attractive feature
-
a small object worn or kept for supposed magical powers of protection; amulet; talisman
-
a trinket worn on a bracelet
-
a magic spell; enchantment
-
a formula or action used in casting such a spell
-
physics an internal quantum number of certain elementary particles, used to explain some scattering experiments
-
perfectly; successfully
verb
-
to attract or fascinate; delight greatly
-
to cast a magic spell on
-
to protect, influence, or heal, supposedly by magic
-
(tr) to influence or obtain by personal charm
he charmed them into believing him
-
One of the flavors of quarks, contributing to the charm number—a quantum number—for hadrons.
-
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
-
charmssimple
-
have charmedperfect
-
has charmedperfect
-
am charmingprogressive
-
are charmingprogressive
-
is charmingprogressive
-
have been charmingperfect progressive
-
has been charmingperfect progressive
Past
-
charmedsimple
-
had charmedperfect
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
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.
See Examples For:
Armed with a quick wit and southern charm, she took control of her show business career that spanned more than 60 years.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
“Beyond the neighborhood’s charm and storied history, it has the creative spirit and strong sense of community that matters so much to us.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
“The Fatal Unpleasantness at Netherfield” is full of period charm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Upon entering the home, guests are greeted with classic Hamptons charm and modern luxury, offering vaulted ceilings, five fireplaces, a sunken living room, formal dining room, and an expansive chef’s kitchen designed for entertaining.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
It had a tiny crown charm, which made me smile when I saw it.
From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan
Some routinely put on a show: NYC0318, a whale also seen by AFP on a recent outing, often charms whale watchers with sensational lunge-feeds, breaching the water and prompting shrieks of delight.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
The point was never to become less susceptible to the market’s charms.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
Released last week, it finds Snow Patrol at their best, with a singalong chorus that bounds over like a puppy and charms you into submission.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Victorian-era charms include brownstones, cast-iron storefronts and dozens of Tiffany stained-glass windows in churches.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
I know she and Rae didn’t do anything: all five of the charms are still there.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
On television, she charmed everyone from Carol Burnett to The Muppets to the “Designing Women.”
From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026
The movie “9 to 5” from 1980 settled her broadening stardom; acting alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in a comedy about three office workers who get even with an abusive boss, Parton charmed viewers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
He said he’d led a charmed life until his 40s, when a divorce unsettled his sense of having cruised along on luck, intelligence and hard work.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Josh Grisetti, the Broadway actor who charmed audiences with roles in “Something Rotten!” and TV’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” has died, a family member confirmed to The Times on Monday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Arthur isn’t going to be on Broadway anytime soon, but he has a really nice voice, and I’m mortified and I’m charmed and I never thought that was a combo that would make sense.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
“He studied the face in front of him, this audacious and obviously talented twenty-six-year-old with the jarring ability to be vicious and charming in the same breath.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
From a young age, William was depicted as the charming, steady heir to the throne, with Harry the wayward but loveably roguish sibling.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
In fact a very charming woman came up to me on the street and she goes, “I love ‘The Beast in Me’ and I loved how camp your dancing was.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
There is also a sizable swimming pool overlooking a fenced, lighted tennis court, as well as a serene pond with a charming bridge pathway running over it.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
For unbelievably, against all logic, this cell was charming.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
