enthralled
Americanadjective
-
captivated or charmed.
When I watched Star Wars for the first time as a child, I was absolutely enthralled and enraptured.
-
held in slavery or subjection to some person, group, or thing; subjugated.
I am unsettled by a world where entertainment is only given by someone else and you must be enthralled to it.
verb
Etymology
Origin of enthralled
Explanation
You are enthralled when filled with delight and wonder at something, to the point where time seems to stand still. Creators of day time soap operas count on viewers being enthralled to make their money. There's a transporting quality to the act of being enthralled, as though you have been, quite literally, whisked away. This is not surprising, given the origin of the word, which comes from two Latin words, en, "to make" or "put in," and thrall, "to hold in mental or moral bondage." So the next time a movie or book (or daytime soap) enthralls you, remember you are indeed being kidnapped in some way.
Vocabulary lists containing enthralled
Death of a Salesman
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myPerspectives 9.1
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"The Witches" by Roald Dahl, Chapters 1–5
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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.
For investors enthralled by soaring corporate profits, headlines about the painful consequences from climate change are largely just background noise, experts say.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
An enthralled audience left opening its collective wallets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
And the left-hander gave a brief glimpse of the thrilling strokeplay that has enthralled the cricketing world.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Investors, according to experts, are really enthralled by SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk’s star power — or what’s been referred to as a “Musk premium” — and vision of the future.
From MarketWatch ● May 21, 2026
Despite the complexity of their quest—or perhaps because of it—their work enthralled the public.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
