adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of charming
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; charm 1 + -ing 2
Explanation
Something charming is usually pleasing or delightful. More rarely, it can be something supernatural. Charms are magical objects and something charming puts you under its spell. In most cases, we mean that only figuratively — if you spent a charming evening with friends, it means their company was so wonderful it was almost enchanting. Charming people have a special, almost magical way of making others like them. But if you're talking about a charming witch, you better watch out for her sorcery and magic tricks.
Vocabulary lists containing charming
Positive Words to Describe a Person
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Real Nice!
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Positive Words to Describe People, List 1
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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.
"Nadia was delightful. She was charming company… And she worked very hard attending flight schools to get her certificates, one after another… These are not easy accomplishments."
From BBC • May 19, 2026
The original San Diego staging, which stressed Mexican folklore, was charming but static.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
The actor’s charming National Geographic series highlights Italian cuisine in places beyond the most famous cities.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
No candidate so irresistibly charming he or she knocked the race akimbo and stamped themselves as the far-and-away front-runner in the slowly consolidating contest.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
Despite its peculiarities, Penelope had grown fond of the Hixby’s Guide, for the pictures were charming and the brief descriptions were written in jaunty, if enigmatic, verse.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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.
