as in to fascinate
to attract or delight as if by magic
the clown captivated the toddlers with his balloon tricks
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Recent Examples of captivate
When songwriters Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada signed on to write an original song for Sing Sing, the duo was captivated by the film’s intensity and genuine approach to the story.
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Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2025
The team decked out the living room in captivating jewel tones and installed built-ins to make the most of the small space.
—Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 5 Feb. 2025
As a historian of the Ganga and its ecology, I am captivated by the enduring power of unwavering devotion that continues to drive pilgrims to this sacred site, despite the dangers posed by surging crowds and the spread of contagion.
—Sudipta Sen, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2025
By blending education and entertainment, this approach captivates young minds and turns everyday lessons into memorable experiences that will hopefully banish those sighs of boredom for good.
—Fiona Tapp, Parents, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivate
Verb
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And that also fascinates me, how one piece of clothing can have that many different styles and expressions to it—the wash, the color, the shape, the length, the waist, low slung, high waist, straight leg, wide leg.—
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Endora was basically a drag queen, so everyone was fascinated by that.—
Verb
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Trying to keep up with breakneck advances in medical technology and the demands of a public troubled by additives like food dyes, the agency enticed scores of midcareer specialists with remote roles and the chance to make a difference in their fields.—
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The Libra moon entices you to entertain fresh options.—
Verb
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When Venus journeys through enchanting Pisces, the love planet is in its element — gentle, dreamy and fully immersed in romantic fantasies.—
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Snuggled between lush rainforests and the cerulean Flores Sea sits Labuan Bajo, a welcoming fishing town on enchanting Flores Island.—
Verb
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Instead, he’s charmed by the place and the people in this airy rom-com directed by Mark Waters.—
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Switch games are rarely the most visually astounding on a technical level, although developers often work near-miracles with smart art direction, crafting worlds full of wonder and charm.—
Verb
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In 2020, Modi delighted Trump by inviting him before a cheering crowd of more than 100,000 people to inaugurate the world’s largest cricket stadium in his home state of Gujarat.—
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Before the game went south for Swift, her boyfriend Travis Kelce and his Kansas City Chiefs teammates, Kylie and Swift delighted fans when they were spotted out for dinner together in New Orleans ahead of the Super Bowl.—
Verb
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In the costume drama based on Guy de Maupassant’s 1885 novel of the same name, Pattinson portrayed an ambitious and amoral social striver, a former soldier who seeks to improve his fortunes by seducing the wives (played by Christina Ricci, Uma Thurman and Kristin Scott Thomas) of powerful men.—
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His evolution from a homeless teen seducing girls on his friends’ couches into an international pop star with one foot in Hollywood and the other atop the Billboard charts has been a circuitous one filled with pitfalls — and some of the catchiest tunes of the century.—
Cite this Entry
“Captivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivate. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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