Captivate: meaning, definitions and examples

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captivate

 

[ ˈkæptɪˌveɪt ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

in a conversation

To attract and hold the attention of someone by being interesting, charming, or entertaining.

Synonyms

charm, enchant, fascinate

Examples of usage

  • She captivated the audience with her storytelling.
  • His charisma captivated everyone in the room.
  • Their performance captivated the judges.
Context #2 | Verb

in a romantic context

To attract and hold the interest and affection of someone in a romantic or sexual way.

Synonyms

bewitch, entrance, mesmerize

Examples of usage

  • He was captivated by her beauty.
  • She captivated him with her smile.
  • They were both captivated by each other's presence.

Translations

Translations of the word "captivate" in other languages:

🇵🇹 cativar

🇮🇳 मोहित करना

🇩🇪 fesseln

🇮🇩 memikat

🇺🇦 зачаровувати

🇵🇱 oczarować

🇯🇵 魅了する (miryō suru)

🇫🇷 captiver

🇪🇸 cautivar

🇹🇷 büyülemek

🇰🇷 매혹하다 (maehokhada)

🇸🇦 أسر

🇨🇿 uchvátit

🇸🇰 uchvátiť

🇨🇳 吸引 (xīyǐn)

🇸🇮 očarati

🇮🇸 heilla

🇰🇿 елеңдету

🇬🇪 მოსწონს

🇦🇿 ovsunlamaq

🇲🇽 cautivar

Etymology

The word 'captivate' originated from the Latin word 'captivare', which means 'to take captive'. Over time, the meaning of the word evolved to signify attracting and holding someone's attention or affection. The concept of captivation has been a key element in human interaction and storytelling throughout history, as people have always sought to captivate one another with their words and actions.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #29,035, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.