fascinate

verb

fas·​ci·​nate ˈfa-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce fascinate (audio)
fascinated; fascinating ˈfa-sə-ˌnā-tiŋ How to pronounce fascinate (audio)
ˈfas-ˌnā-tiŋ
Synonyms of fascinate

transitive verb

1
a
: to command the interest of : allure
was fascinated by carnivals
The kids were fascinated with their new toy.
b
: to transfix (see transfix sense 1) and hold spellbound by an irresistible power
believed that the serpent could fascinate its prey
2
obsolete : bewitch

intransitive verb

: to be irresistibly attractive
the novel's flamboyant cover fascinates

Synonyms of fascinate

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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 fascinate in a Sentence

a question that fascinates both biologists and anthropologists Her paintings never fail to fascinate.
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.
Cronenberg is fascinated by a body that is taken apart and reimagined. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 However, rather than the courageous grand duchesses who fought for the freedom of their people far away, the author was fascinated by the suffragette movement of the 1910s. — Giorgia Olivieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026 The question fascinated David Hilbert, a renowned mathematician who had devoted much of his life to rebuilding physics on a sturdy foundation of crisp axioms. — Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026 QAnon haunts Washington I’m particularly fascinated by the ghost of QAnon – how the theory continues to haunt politics today. — Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fascinate

Word History

Etymology

Latin fascinatus, past participle of fascinare, from fascinum evil spell

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of fascinate was in 1591

Rhymes for fascinate

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Browse Nearby Words

fasciitis
fascinate
fascinatedly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fascinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fascinate. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fascinate

verb
fas·​ci·​nate ˈfas-ᵊn-ˌāt How to pronounce fascinate (audio)
fascinated; fascinating
1
: to grip the attention of especially so as to take away the power to move, act, or think for oneself
the belief that serpents can fascinate their prey
2
: to cause (someone) to be very interested in something or someone
fascination
ˌfas-ᵊn-ˈā-shən
noun
fascinator
ˈfas-ᵊn-ˌāt-ər
noun
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