captivating
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- captivatingly adverb
- uncaptivating adjective
Etymology
Origin of captivating
First recorded in 1670–80; captivat(e) ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. )
Explanation
The adjective captivating describes something that's completely enthralling and holds your attention. You might find a marathon of episodes of a TV show so captivating that you forget to eat dinner. When people are captivating, they're often very intelligent, attractive, charming, or otherwise fascinating. Something that catches and holds your interest is captivating, like a captivating mystery novel you just can't put down. In fact, this adjective comes from the Latin captivatus, "to take or capture," and early in its use, captivating had that literal meaning. Now it's only used to mean capturing interest.
Vocabulary lists containing captivating
A Doll's House
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Pay Attention! Synonyms for "Interesting"
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The Tale of Despereaux
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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.
Exhilarating, high octane, entertaining - this was the modern brand of rugby which made the Six Nations so captivating in an 80-minute nutshell.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
In the intervening weeks, he held interviews and wrote letters from his jail cell, denouncing slavery and captivating the country with his dedication and resolve.
From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026
She has a captivating smile and, as I soon find out, she’s funny and a good storyteller.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
The two events offered some of the most captivating work in recent memory, from paintings that integrate AI to head-spinning ceramic sculptures.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 28, 2026
Most captivating were the nights, “when the long shadows have all merged into one and the stars begin to gleam out over the lake and the domes of the palaces of the White City.”
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
