charming

[ chahr-ming ]

adjective

1. pleasing; delightful:

   a charming child.

   Synonyms: engaging, winsome, winning, lovely

2. using charm; exercising magic power.

charming

/ ˈtʃɑːmɪŋ /

adjective

1. delightful; pleasant; attractive

Derived Forms

• ˈcharmingly, adverb

Other Words From

• charming·ly adverb
• charming·ness noun
• un·charming adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of charming¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; charm ¹ + -ing ²

Example Sentences

That fearlessness is evident in Washington’s performance too — charming, boisterous and musical, but in the character’s bookend moments, serene and almost childlike.

From Los Angeles Times

The psychopaths I’ve encountered in my career have been neither exceptionally bright nor socially able, nor at all charming.

From BBC

"It’s a charming, if optimistic, vision of a world where leftovers are not just saved, but celebrated."

From Salon

"What once seemed so effortlessly charming about this young wayfinder forging her own path has, in Part Two, become more convoluted and stilted - it’s a journey that, frustratingly, leads nowhere."

From BBC

“You can’t kill that many people and be so relaxed and charming unless there’s a little piece missing there.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absorbing
• alluring
• amiable
• appealing
• attractive
• charismatic
• cute
• delightful
• elegant
• engaging
• engrossing
• fascinating
• glamorous
• graceful
• inviting
• likable
• lovable
• lovely
• pleasant
• provocative