spellbound
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of spellbound
Explanation
To be spellbound is to have your attention captured by something, captured so strongly it feels like witchcraft. A spell is a type of magic that controls your mind, and being bound is being tied to something. Being spellbound is when your attention is caught by something, and you just can't look away, almost as if you were bound by a spell. An exciting movie can leave you spellbound. A great public speaker can hold the audience spellbound. When you're spellbound, your attention is on something 100%. Being spellbound is like being fascinated, hypnotized, mesmerized, or transfixed.
Vocabulary lists containing spellbound
The Secret Life of Bees
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Part 4 Vocabulary (Unit 6)
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Finally Seen
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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.
She twists bewitchingly across the stage in a silver jumpsuit, punching out the beats of goth-punk anthems like Spellbound, Happy House and Hong Kong Garden.
From BBC • Jul. 23, 2023
Taste by Spellbound owner Miriam Stephens wrote about the encounter on Instagram, where she claimed the interloper entered her bakery’s garage and helped itself to dozens of pastries being loaded into a delivery van.
From Seattle Times • May 28, 2023
Spellbound is an entry-level petite sirah, which I’ve recommended in previous vintages.
From Washington Post • Nov. 18, 2021
Spellbound: The New Yorker goes full nerd with an in-depth look at Magic: The Gathering on the fantasy card game’s 25th anniversary.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2018
Spellbound, his visitors remained rooted to the floor.
From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford
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.
