fascinating
Americanadjective
adjective
-
arousing great interest
-
enchanting or alluring
a fascinating woman
Other Word Forms
- fascinatingly adverb
- half-fascinating adjective
- half-fascinatingly adverb
- quasi-fascinating adjective
- quasi-fascinatingly adverb
- unfascinating adjective
Etymology
Origin of fascinating
First recorded in 1640–50; fascinat(e) + -ing 2
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.
Squid and cuttlefish are among the ocean's most fascinating animals, known for their color-changing skin and jet-like movement.
From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026
It has been described as "a fascinating and subtle story about group politics and female friendship".
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
“The high desert has a fascinating blend of hippie and libertarian sensibilities,” he wrote in an email.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026
That’s because immersion in different cultures and seeing life from other perspectives is fascinating but also physically, emotionally and mentally difficult to sustain.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026
Because the study at Gombe has lasted for so many years, we have learned many fascinating things about chimpanzee behavior.
From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall
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.
