captivate
verb
cap·ti·vate
ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt 
captivated; captivating
1
: to influence and dominate by some special charm, art, or trait and with an irresistible appeal
We were captivated by her beauty.
The scenery captivated our attention.
Examples of captivate in a Sentence
The play has been captivating audiences for years.
the clown captivated the toddlers with his balloon tricks
Recent Examples on the Web
The models built on the release of Claude Mythos Preview, which captivated Wall Street and government officials with its advanced cybersecurity capabilities in April.
—
Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 13 June 2026
The Knicks have captivated the entire city, but until recently, the Mets’ interest was mostly casual.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 13 June 2026
Consider it a hometown tour led by a queen who’s captivated the world but still knows exactly where to find the best pho, the coolest art, and the perfect perch to watch someone else tear up the dance floor.
—Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026
The vast array of gems is a tribute to the maison’s rich history of Art Deco style and its early Egyptian Revival pieces, dating to an era when a new modern style was taking hold just as some antuiquity’s most significant discoveries were captivating the Western imagination.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for captivate
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Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 13 June 2026
The Knicks have captivated the entire city, but until recently, the Mets’ interest was mostly casual.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 13 June 2026
Consider it a hometown tour led by a queen who’s captivated the world but still knows exactly where to find the best pho, the coolest art, and the perfect perch to watch someone else tear up the dance floor.
—Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026
The vast array of gems is a tribute to the maison’s rich history of Art Deco style and its early Egyptian Revival pieces, dating to an era when a new modern style was taking hold just as some antuiquity’s most significant discoveries were captivating the Western imagination.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for captivate
Cite this Entry
“Captivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captivate. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
captivate
verb
cap·ti·vate
ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt
captivated; captivating
: to influence or fascinate by some special charm
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