Captivating
to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant:
Her blue eyes and red hair captivated him.
Obsolete. to capture; subjugate.
Contemporary Examples
Olympia Snowe is starring as Hamlet these days, captivating and frustrating audiences in Washington and across the country.
Snowe Removal Samuel P. Jacobs October 25, 2009
At about $15 a bottle, it is a cost-effective way of captivating party guests and intriguing connoisseurs.
Five Ways to Drink Bravely Mark Oldman October 24, 2010
Aside from oil, Russia has two great exports: brilliant, heady novelists and captivating dashboard camera videos.
Russian Dashcam Car Chase Alex Chancey, The Daily Beast Video October 8, 2014
Himmelman also gives us a captivating portrait of Benjamin Crowninshield Bradlee the man.
7 Scoops From New Bio of Ben Bradlee, “Yours in Truth” Matthew DeLuca May 6, 2012
We enjoy being part of the challenging, captivating grown-up world.
I Just Had a Baby, I’ll Call You Back Katty Kay, Claire Shipman June 1, 2009
Historical Examples
Wold exhibited his fine person and exerted all his captivating powers of intellect.
Wild Western Scenes John Beauchamp Jones
What he said was so wise, so well-balanced, and so captivating.
My Double Life Sarah Bernhardt
It was celebrated in the library at Bowood, where Sydney so often enchanted the captivating circle afterwards by his wit.
The Wits and Beaux of Society Grace & Philip Wharton
If he is so grave, I fear I have no chance of captivating him.
The Contrast Royall Tyler
Why do captivating and fascinating creatures, such as he was, ever grow old?
The Sunny Side of Diplomatic Life, 1875-1912 Lillie DeHegermann-Lindencrone
verb (transitive)
to hold the attention of by fascinating; enchant
an obsolete word for capture
v.
1520s, “to enthrall with charm,” from Late Latin captivatus, past participle of captivare “to take, capture,” from captivus (see captive). Literal sense (1550s) is rare or obsolete in English, which uses capture (q.v.). Latin captare “to take, hold” also had a transferred sense of “to entice, entrap, allure.” Related: Captivated; captivating; captivatingly.
Read Also:
- Captivatingly
to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant: Her blue eyes and red hair captivated him. Obsolete. to capture; subjugate. Historical Examples Not a point in the story is overlooked, and every phase of meaning is captivatingly illustrated in pantomime. Famous Prima Donnas Lewis Clinton Strang The present […]
- Captivation
to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant: Her blue eyes and red hair captivated him. Obsolete. to capture; subjugate. Historical Examples The marvel of their captivation lay in the spell of the enchanter. A Day’s Ride Charles James Lever There was a captivation in its promise of […]
- Captivative
to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant: Her blue eyes and red hair captivated him. Obsolete. to capture; subjugate. verb (transitive) to hold the attention of by fascinating; enchant an obsolete word for capture v. 1520s, “to enthrall with charm,” from Late Latin captivatus, past participle of […]
- Captivator
to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant: Her blue eyes and red hair captivated him. Obsolete. to capture; subjugate. Historical Examples She’s a dressmaker by trade, she says; and a captivator of foolish young men by nature—don’t go anigh her. All Sorts and Conditions of Men Walter […]
- Captive
a prisoner. a person who is enslaved or dominated; slave: He is the captive of his own fears. made or held prisoner, especially in war: captive troops. kept in confinement or restraint: captive animals. enslaved by love, beauty, etc.; captivated: her captive beau. of or relating to a captive. managed as an affiliate or subsidiary […]