as in to fascinate
to attract or delight as if by magic
the clown captivated the toddlers with his balloon tricks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in appeal
the power of irresistible attraction
by some mysterious method of captivation, the therapist is able to evoke a response from even the shiest of children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of captivate
Jon Frosch, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025
All about sustainable beauty, fashion, design, and wellness Since it was first unveiled at picturesque Taormina, Sicily in 2012, Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Moda shows have proven to be the most exclusive, and visually captivating of all fashion spectacles.
—Bianca Salonga, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
But Jacob’s heart is with Rachel, whose beauty has captivated him.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 May 2025
The story has captivated filmmakers for a few years now, with a previous incarnation of the project having Lenny Abrahamson (Room) as director.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for captivate
Verb
Fatima is also a gifted student, captivated in class as her buddies goof off around her.
—Jon Frosch, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025
All about sustainable beauty, fashion, design, and wellness Since it was first unveiled at picturesque Taormina, Sicily in 2012, Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Moda shows have proven to be the most exclusive, and visually captivating of all fashion spectacles.
—Bianca Salonga, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
But Jacob’s heart is with Rachel, whose beauty has captivated him.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 May 2025
The story has captivated filmmakers for a few years now, with a previous incarnation of the project having Lenny Abrahamson (Room) as director.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for captivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivate
Verb
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Fahy is a lot of fun playing against recent type as a blue-collar woman who has zero interest in the glamorous, opulent world that so fascinates her sister.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
22 May 2025
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The bear — maybe fascinated by flying soot or maybe out of pure cussedness — had taken a fiendish delight in batting lengths of stovepipe around.—
Ted Updike,
Outdoor Life,
22 May 2025
Noun
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That case, like the one on school T-shirts, arose from appeals by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal group.—
David G. Savage,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
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However, after weeks of volatile visa policies, capped with the Trump administration’s move last week to terminate Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students, the appeal of the U.S. as a host country is in flux.—
Anna Esaki-Smith,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Verb
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The Navy also has spent considerably more than the others to entice sailors to reenlist, doling out retention bonuses to roughly 70,000 service members for each of the past three years.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 May 2025
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Duffy recently announced a sweeping program to upgrade the agency's technology infrastructure, as well as hiring incentives to entice more would-be air traffic controllers.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
Noun
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On the one hand, the opening scene begins in a car, the most familiar of locations in a filmography that has always shared Abbas Kiarostami’s fascination with automobiles as places that are both public and private all at once.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
20 May 2025
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One of them is a conversation with Armando, which holds great fascination and curiosity for one of the women, Flavia (Laura Lufési), and could be a key to unlocking all the mystery.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
18 May 2025
Verb
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The sequel to Practical Magic is aiming to enchant viewers in the fall of 2026.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2025
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She was enchanted by the centuries-old wood plank floors, scarred and slightly sloped.—
Leilani Marie Labong,
Architectural Digest,
5 May 2025
Verb
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Moore's Michaela is mysterious, commanding, and beyond wealthy, described in the trailer and elsewhere as someone with the ability to charm into subservience.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
22 May 2025
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Viewers on TikTok were charmed by the emotional reunion.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 May 2025
Noun
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Although some attractions are selling tickets already.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 May 2025
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Unlike Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, this world is more foreboding than scary, but as guests quickly learn from its can’t-miss attraction Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, monsters still shouldn’t be crossed.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
26 May 2025
Verb
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This has delighted Cruise's fans online, who can't stop posting about Cruise's love for a buttery tub.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
22 May 2025
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With more than 155,000 upvotes on TikTok, Milo's inclusion in his owner's daily prayers delighted internet users.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Captivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivate. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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