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The history of enthrall appeals far less than the word as we use it today might suggest. In Middle English, enthrallen meant “to deprive of privileges; to put in bondage.” Thrall then, as now, referred to bondage or slavery. An early figurative use of enthrall appeared in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: “So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape.” But we rarely use even this sense of mental or moral control anymore. More often, the word simply suggests a state of being generally captivated or delighted by some particular thing. Enthrall is commonly found in its past participle form enthralled, which can mean “spellbound,” as in “we listened, enthralled, to the elder's oral history.”
Examples of enthrall in a Sentence
Robin Raven, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
His stories enthrall his fellow captives, and capture the attention of Hasan, the enigmatic and feared Bey of Algiers, igniting an affinity between captor and captive.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 26 Feb. 2025
Larson’s animated retelling of a wrong-number incident enthralls his audience from his first words, and their response propels him to a flawless performance.
—John Roy, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2025
This rare astronomical event, marked by a dramatic increase in brightness, promises to enthrall stargazers and scientists alike.
—Tom Howarth, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for enthrall
Cite this Entry
“Enthrall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enthrall. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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