enchant
Americanverb (used with object)
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enchants,
present (3rd person singular)
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enchanted,
past participle, past
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enchanting
present participle
verb
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to cast a spell on; bewitch
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to delight or captivate utterly; fascinate; charm
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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enchantsimple
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enchantssimple
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have enchantedperfect
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has enchantedperfect
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am enchantingprogressive
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are enchantingprogressive
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is enchantingprogressive
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have been enchantingperfect progressive
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has been enchantingperfect progressive
Past
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enchantedsimple
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had enchantedperfect
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was enchantingprogressive
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were enchantingprogressive
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had been enchantingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of enchant
1325–75; Middle English < Anglo-French, Middle French enchanter < Latin incantāre to put a spell on; see incantation
Explanation
To enchant is to cast a spell over someone, like a witch might do. It also means to attract or catch someone's attention in a less mystical way. Enchanting has a few meanings, but they all involve seduction. A witch or warlock enchants people they wish to influence through magic spells. A real person enchants in different ways: through jokes, good looks, and charisma. Not only people, but also engrossing songs or shows can be said "to enchant."
Vocabulary lists containing enchant
The Cricket in Times Square
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A Boy Called Bat
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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.
See Examples For:
Instead, throw yourself into the music, art and theater festivals that enchant the nation all summer long.
From Barron's ● Mar. 8, 2026
He also reveals how the York sound—full, warm and resonant—continues to enchant tuba players and enthusiasts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2025
The company’s video game mantra since its Nintendo Entertainment System days has been to show gaming and play as a medium full of possibilities, using world-building, competition and puzzles to enchant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2025
Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told Reuters that Moscow was not "trying to enchant anyone."
From Reuters ● Sep. 15, 2023
Emma allowed that this was at least marginally peculiar, since the ability to enchant snakes was something only syndrigasti could do.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
Mr. Coyne excels at chronicling the many different ways golf enchants its aficionados.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
Friends of the Lake District's land manager, Jan Darrall, said the thought of a rainforest in Cumbria "enchants and inspires people".
From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2026
This time of year enchants with its warm, rustic hues and relaxing vibe.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 27, 2023
As an image of transformational loss ushering in new forms of beauty, the pair enchants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2023
That would be humiliating, because then he would show that he knows that gallantry enchants me; will he be mysterious?
From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
“An enchanted hideaway in a coveted location with inviting outdoor retreats and peek-a-boo views to downtown Los Angeles create an idyllic setting,” the listing adds.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
That doesn’t take away from the experiences they provide—movies have enchanted audiences for generations despite being only still photos.
From Slate ● May 25, 2026
Critics were particularly enchanted by the show’s lush score and fantastical atmosphere.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2026
But the book has enchanted readers since 1854.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026
I was enchanted by the city, the warm tropical air, the diverse faces of the locals, the bright pastel colors covering many of the buildings, the swaying palm trees that flanked the streets.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
A series based on Miles Franklin’s 1901 novel stars Philippa Northeast as an enchanting young woman trying to become a writer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Charlize Theron is appropriately enchanting as Calypso, whose charms waylay and confuse Odysseus.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Something enchanting might need to occur down there for Scotland to secure what they set out to do.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
Early in his TV career, his purring voice and enchanting grin helped transform a string of coffee commercials into a serialized love story.
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026
“If you’d asked me that last month, I’d have said no, but lately, the holler seems more like the enchanting place it used to be. Strange, isn’t it?”
From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech
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.
