hypnotic
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or producing hypnosis or sleep
-
(of a person) susceptible to hypnotism
noun
-
a drug or agent that induces sleep
-
a person susceptible to hypnosis
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hypnotic
1680–90; < Late Latin hypnōticus < Greek hypnōtikós sleep-inducing, narcotic, equivalent to hypnō- (variant stem of hypnoûn to put to sleep; see Hypnos) + -tikos -tic
Explanation
Hypnotic things either relate to hypnosis — putting people under spells — or anything that is mesmerizing or spellbinding. You know how hypnotists put people under spells and then make them quack like a duck, or do something equally silly? Hypnotic things relate to hypnosis — like a hypnotist's calm, entrancing, hypnotic voice — or other things that tend to grab people's attention in a similar way. The voice of a powerful public speaker could be described as hypnotic. Great music that you can’t turn off could also be considered hypnotic. Anything hypnotic has a powerful hold on your attention.
Vocabulary lists containing hypnotic
The Devil's Arithmetic
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
And Then There Were None
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
That intro synth loop is very Whigs v2, in that it feels like it got borrowed from the Twilight Singers, as is the gently hypnotic backbeat and the female vocals.
From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026
So you get a track like Where Do We Go, which marries a sashaying Afrobeats rhythm to a hypnotic electronic pulse.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Describing himself as a “Caribbean baby,” he explains that the ocean waves have a hypnotic effect on him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
Due to the intrinsic microvariations in motor speeds, one machine ran slightly faster and the loops moved in and out of phase, leading to a hypnotic, static quality that would become Mr. Reich’s trademark.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
He replied: “We have the best proof of that: your own evidence, when in the hypnotic trance this morning.”
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
