captivate

verb

cap·​ti·​vate ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt How to pronounce captivate (audio)
captivated; captivating
Synonyms of captivatenext

transitive verb

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.
2
archaic : seize, capture
captivation noun
captivator noun
Choose the Right Synonym for captivate

attract, allure, charm, captivate, fascinate, enchant mean to draw another by exerting a powerful influence.

attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response,

charmed by their hospitality

but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

her performances captivated audiences

fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

enchant is perhaps the strongest of these terms in stressing the appeal of the agent and the degree of delight evoked in the subject.

hopelessly enchanted by her beauty

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Her regal stoicism along with her kind, empathetic, reassuring demeanor is the perfect mix that captivates Royal fans globally. Janelle Ash , Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 1 Jan. 2026 Described as a love letter to the ’80s classics that captivated a generation, the series was to be set in 1980 Montauk, Long Island, where a young boy vanishes into thin air. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 31 Dec. 2025 With diverse collections spanning Asian, Oceanic, African, and European art, there’s something to captivate every visitor. Kat Stinson, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025 Household names like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, and Morgan Wallen made their presence known with seismic, chart-topping releases, while fresher faces like Sabrina Carpenter and Stray Kids continued to captivate listeners and audiences, proving their staying power. Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for captivate

Word History

Etymology

see captive entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1555, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of captivate was circa 1555

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Cite this Entry

“Captivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captivate. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

captivate

verb
cap·​ti·​vate ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt How to pronounce captivate (audio)
captivated; captivating
: to influence or fascinate by some special charm
captivation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on captivate

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