fascinated

American  

[fas-uh-ney-tid] / ˈfæs əˌneɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. having the attention attracted and held by a person or thing having unique power or charm, unusual character, etc.; enthralled or captivated.

   The nature trail guide opened one of the boxes to let the fascinated onlookers view two baby bluebirds inside.

2. strongly interested or intrigued by something.

   I'm speaking now not as a lawyer, just as a fascinated observer of mankind.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of fascinate.

Other Word Forms

• fascinatedly adverb
• half-fascinated adjective
• quasi-fascinated adjective
• unfascinated adjective

Etymology

Origin of fascinated

fascinate ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

When you're fascinated, you're hypnotized, mesmerized, spellbound, and transfixed — totally absorbed by something. There are two ways to be fascinated: You can be fascinated by something happening right now, like an interesting new video game you're playing. Other fascinations are more long term, like a scientist who devotes his life to studying birds because he's fascinated by them. Things that make you fascinated have to be so interesting and so intriguing that it feels like they have a magic grip on your attention span.

Example Sentences

The playwright was fascinated by Broadway star Laurette Taylor and her abrupt manner with house guests, and based Hay Fever on her family.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

“My parents crossed the border undocumented in the late 1970s, so I think I’ve always been fascinated with writing immigration stories,” Quijada said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Born into a family of prominent conservatives, Magyar was fascinated with politics from an early age.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

When Mr. de Waal, a British ceramicist, inherited 264 of these netsuke from a relative in the 1990s, he became fascinated by their artistry—and their provenance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

“Recently I have been fascinated by the subject of wild animals of North America.”

From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket

Related Words

• absorbed
• aroused
• delighted
• enamored
• enchanted
• enthralled
• excited
• intoxicated
• mesmerized
• thrilled