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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Positive Words to Describe People, List 1
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Real Nice!
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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.
He was recognized for lead actor in a limited series for his turn in Netflix’s psychological thriller “The Beast in Me,” where he played Nile equal parts charming and terrifying.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Seager said she was "incredibly grateful to those who saved him" and said the much loved pet was "charming and full of character, we love him to bits".
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
“He studied the face in front of him, this audacious and obviously talented twenty-six-year-old with the jarring ability to be vicious and charming in the same breath.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
From a young age, William was depicted as the charming, steady heir to the throne, with Harry the wayward but loveably roguish sibling.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
All of this is very charming and very human.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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.
