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Synonyms

captivating

American  
[kap-tuh-vey-ting] / ˈkæp təˌveɪ tɪŋ /

adjective

  1. attracting and holding the attention or interest, as by beauty or excellence; enchanting

    The newly fallen snow turns our real-life world of brown grass and gray skies into a captivating fairyland.

Other Word Forms

  • captivatingly adverb
  • uncaptivating adjective

Etymology

Origin of captivating

First recorded in 1670–80; captivat(e) ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The two events offered some of the most captivating work in recent memory, from paintings that integrate AI to head-spinning ceramic sculptures.

From The Wall Street Journal

The two events offered some of the most captivating work in recent memory, from paintings that integrate AI to head-spinning ceramic sculptures.

From The Wall Street Journal

As for her captivating paintings, she tells me she's "perfectly happy" when people think they have been created by a much younger artist.

From BBC

And in her captivating interpretation, Fennell makes her viewers feel everything.

From Salon

"The leads are captivating and their chemistry sizzles," he said.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.