fascination
Americannoun
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the power or action of fascinating.
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the state or an instance of being fascinated.
They watched in fascination.
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a fascinating quality; powerful attraction; charm.
the fascination of foreign travel.
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Cards. a form of solitaire.
Etymology
Origin of fascination
1595–1605; < Latin fascinātiōn- (stem of fascinātiō ) a bewitching. See fascinate, -ion
Explanation
If diamondback turtles hold a certain fascination for you, you know everything there is to know about them, you talk about them all the time, and maybe you've embroidered one on your pillowcase. Fascination is an irresistible attraction. Be careful to use the right preposition: you've got a fascination with handsome princes, but handsome princes hold a fascination for you. When you have a fascination, it's as if you're bewitched, and — what do you know? — the word goes back to the Latin fascinare, which means "cast a spell on."
Vocabulary lists containing fascination
The Cay
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"The Witch Boy" by Molly Knox Ostertag
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Schooled
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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.
The UK government is hoping to capitalize on Trump's fascination with the royals.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
In light of the academic fascination with diversity, Matthew Avery Sutton’s “Chosen Land” is noteworthy for confining its attention to Christianity.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
Thompson’s fascination with American pop culture developed in part from her youth in post–Celtic Tiger Ireland, when leaders like Bertie Ahern were implementing economic policies shaped by American capitalism.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
"We now have about 20 sets of cups in the house and it's her biggest fascination," she said.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
So, what if he started looking at her the way so many other people did, with a mixture of fascination and confusion and repulsion?
From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby
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.
