as in appealing
having an often mysterious or magical power to attract
a captivating performance by the young singing sensation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fascinating
to attract or delight as if by magic
the clown captivated the toddlers with his balloon tricks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of captivating
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2025
Thanks to her breakout role in One Battle After Another, Chase Infiniti gained her first Golden Globe nomination—and her fashion choices have been just as captivating, thanks to the assist of the masterful stylist duo Wayman + Micah.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 28 Dec. 2025
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Dec. 2025
Stories about middle-aged athletes are captivating.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captivating
Adjective
But the book proved to be far more unpredictable and captivating than that, and also so funny, so full of pathos.
—Verb
This captivating political thriller is remarkably relevant to today's turbulent times.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivating
Adjective
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North Texas is both everything that makes college football so irresistibly fun and appealing, while also serving as the worst example of the current model.—
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The brand is a regular on Oprah's Favorite Things lists, which only makes this deal more appealing.—
Verb
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Wilentz, author of the 2010 book Dylan in America, wrote Volume 18‘s detailed, often fascinating 125-page liner notes that provides historical context for the expansive eight-CD set.—
Adjective
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Youthful, well-dressed, and charismatic, TBPN is making Silicon Valley wealth look fun again.—
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However, Venezuelans identify Machado, not González, as the winner, and the charismatic opposition leader has remained the voice of the campaign, pushing for international support and insisting her movement will replace Maduro.—
Verb
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Similar to fellow Arsenal summer signing Eberechi Eze — another keen chess player — the assumption would be that the skills taken from the board game have helped Zubimendi be a step ahead in enticing and then bypassing opposition players.—
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Fringe areas on the outskirts of Denver proper and the suburbs are enticing for new locations.—
Adjective
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To make sure there’s sufficient demand among bond investors, Treasury yields must remain attractive relative to the competition.—
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Home to the world’s largest oil reserves, the country is an attractive long-term opportunity for Big Oil, but companies are cautious about investing in the short term due to uncertainty around security and the rule of law.—
Verb
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If that wasn't enchanting enough, they were then joined by their original Broadway counterparts, Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda) and Idina Menzel (Elphaba).—
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Even the most incredulous of us listened to him describe the visions of fleeting stars that were enchanting enough to swoon the most beautiful people on this poor Earth.—
Adjective
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The allure of their relationship is undeniable, but charming as their chemistry is, something is definitely off.—
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For a quintessential small-town Vermont experience, stay at the charming Mad River Barn right around the corner.—
Adjective
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For the nearly half of Americans who can’t find or afford a therapist, that accessibility is seductive.—
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Mental attraction could turn into something seductive fast.—
Cite this Entry
“Captivating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivating. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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