FASCINATE

capture, enamour, trance, catch, becharm, enamor, captivate, beguile, charm, fascinate, bewitch, entrance, enchant

(verb) attract; cause to be enamored; “She captured all the men’s hearts”

fascinate, transfix, grip, spellbind

(verb) to render motionless, as with a fixed stare or by arousing terror or awe; “The snake charmer fascinates the cobra”

intrigue, fascinate

(verb) cause to be interested or curious

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

fascinate (third-person singular simple present fascinates, present participle fascinating, simple past and past participle fascinated)

To evoke an intense interest or attraction in someone.

To make someone hold motionless; to spellbind.

To be irresistibly charming or attractive to.

Source: Wiktionary


Fas"ci*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fascinated, p. pr. & vb. n.. Fascinating (.] Etym: [L. fascinare; cf. Gr.

1. To influence in an uncontrollable manner; to operate on by some powerful or irresistible charm; to bewitch; to enchant. It has been almost universally believed that . . . serpents can stupefy and fascinate the prey which they are desirous to obtain. Griffith (Cuvier).

2. To excite and allure irresistibly or powerfully; to charm; to captivate, as by physical or mental charms. there be none of the passions that have been noted to fascinate or bewhich but love and envy. Bacon.

Syn.

– To charm; enrapture; captivate; enchant; bewitch; attract.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

27 May 2025

DIRECTIONALITY

(noun) the property of being directional or maintaining a direction; “the directionality of written English is from left to right”


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Coffee Trivia

The word “coffee” entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch “koffie,” borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish “kahve,” borrowed in turn from the Arabic “qahwah.” The Arabic word qahwah was traditionally held to refer to a type of wine.

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