CAPTIVATE Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'captivate' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of captivate are allure , attract , charm , enchant , and fascinate . While all these words mean "to draw another by exerting a powerful influence," charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response, but it may, like captivate , suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration. // charmed by their hospitality // her performances captivated audiences

Q: When can 'allure' be used instead of 'captivate'?

In some situations, the words allure and captivate are roughly equivalent. However, allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive. // an alluring smile

Q: When could 'attract' be used to replace 'captivate'?

The meanings of attract and captivate largely overlap; however, attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another. // students attracted by the school's locale

Q: When would 'enchant' be a good substitute for 'captivate'?

While in some cases nearly identical to captivate , 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

Q: When might 'fascinate' be a better fit than 'captivate'?

While the synonyms fascinate and captivate are close in meaning, fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist. // a story that continues to fascinate children

captivate

verb

ˈkap-tə-ˌvāt

Definition of captivate

as in to fascinate

to attract or delight as if by magic the clown captivated the toddlers with his balloon tricks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word captivate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of captivate are allure, attract, charm, enchant, and fascinate. While all these words mean "to draw another by exerting a powerful influence," charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response, but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

charmed by their hospitality

her performances captivated audiences

When can allure be used instead of captivate?

In some situations, the words allure and captivate are roughly equivalent. However, allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

When could attract be used to replace captivate?

The meanings of attract and captivate largely overlap; however, attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

When would enchant be a good substitute for captivate?

While in some cases nearly identical to captivate, 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

When might fascinate be a better fit than captivate?

While the synonyms fascinate and captivate are close in meaning, fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of captivate Lindsay Clancy’s 75-year-old lawyer has captivated the internet. — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2026 Carrero captivates in the dark comedy, as part of an ensemble cast that helped earn the series a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama Series in its second season. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026 Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon is a transformative bildungsroman of one Milkman Dead, who spends his life captivated by the possibility of flight in all its many forms. — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026 Television networks had broadcast the unfolding hostage situation live, and the violent end captivated the American public. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for captivate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivate

Verb

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, 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

Definition of fascinate

Verb

The bet is that the interesting content will entice fans around the world and grow the series’ audience as the debut of its second season draws near.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
When Idrissa Gueye’s pass to Vitalii Mykolenko entices Curtis Jones to press the left-back, Dewsbury-Hall and McNeil spot the space behind Ibrahima Konate and attack it.

— Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of entice

Verb

Among those charmed over time was Kurt Cobain, who called their 1969 debut Philosophy of the World his fifth-favorite album.

— Steve Hochman, SPIN, 31 Aug. 2026
His charmed early life and promising political career were slowed, but not halted, when he was stricken with polio in his late 30s.

— John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of charm

Verb

In the last two months, New York City’s Radio City Music Hall hosted two ‘80s British music triple bills that delighted fans of the golden MTV era.

— David Chiu, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
This is a prospect that particularly delights Lady Eliza Spencer, Princess Diana’s niece and Prince Harry’s cousin.

— Mathilde Engelmann, Vanity Fair, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of delight

Browse Nearby Words

captiousness

captivate

captivated

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“Captivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivate. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of captivate

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