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captivate

[kap-tuh-veyt]

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verb (used with object), -vat·ed, -vat·ing.

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.

Origin:
1520–30; < Late Latin captīvātus (past participle of captīvāre to take captive), equivalent to Latin captīv(us) captive + -ātus -ate¹

Related forms

cap·ti·vat·ing·ly, adverb

cap·ti·va·tion, noun

cap·ti·va·tive, adjective

cap·ti·va·tor, noun

un·cap·ti·vat·ed, adjective

EXPAND

un·cap·ti·vat·ing, adjective

un·cap·ti·va·tive, adjective

COLLAPSE

Synonyms
1. fascinate, bewitch, charm. 2. subdue.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To captivate

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Captivate is one of our favorite verbs.

So is peculate. Does it mean:

to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax.

to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.

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Example Sentences

Captivate is great for building interactive self-guided simulations and branching scenarios.

No play, however political and worthy, can captivate an audience unless it is actually good.

Clownfish captivate moviegoers, scientists-and anemones.

EXPAND

Captivate is great for building interactive self-guided simulations and branching scenarios.

No play, however political and worthy, can captivate an audience unless it is actually good.

Clownfish captivate moviegoers, scientists-and anemones.

It is the curse of paleontologists that they can never attain a definitive understanding of the creatures that so captivate them.

But tinkering with technology would continue to captivate him.

Clearly, the science-fiction dream of the flexible display continues to captivate the imagination.

These three adventures have something to captivate even the wildest imaginations.

Both modes of execution challenge the watercolorist, yet captivate the viewer.

Nuclear engineers are scarce in part because there has been little ongoing research to captivate students.

Chocolate has a power to captivate unlike any other food, and its heady hold shows no signs of abating:.

But even during cooler climes the twinkling lights and sweep of the view can captivate.

Captivate allows one to make interactive tutorials with ease.

Stunning views will captivate your imagination for your dream estate.

The vision must captivate the follower and fulfi ll the quest to belong to something grand and beautiful.

Tranquility is found among this majestic ridge top location with breathtaking panoramic views sure to captivate your spirit.

Tinsley developed a virtual obsession for a game whose appeal never ceased to captivate him.

It's an interesting comparison written to captivate readers' attention.

They simply desire to shape and order nature so that it will captivate and amuse.

And to have a dream that will captivate the imagination of society.

Sometimes the aesthetics of the image itself captivate.

Her struggle to give her son what she has been taken away is sure to captivate any audience.

And the quality of his reverence should captivate the piously devout.

And there was this unusual air about him that seemed to captivate even his bosses.

When you realize that there will be only a few independent movies that genuinely captivate the popular imagination every year.

But success alone has not been enough to captivate fans.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

captivate (ˈkæptɪˌveɪt)

—vb
1.	to hold the attention of by fascinating; enchant
2.	an obsolete word for capture

[C16: from Late Latin captivāre, from captīvuscaptive]

'captivatingly

—*adv*

capti'vation

—n

'captivator

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

captivate

c.1526, "to enthrall with charm," from L.L. captivat-, pp. stem of captivare "to take," from captivus (see captive). Lit. sense (c.1555) is rare or obs. Captivated is attested from 1621; captivating from 1675.

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Related Words

bait becharm bedazzle bewitch

enamor enthrall spellbinder take

Matching Quote

"Unfortunately, life may sometimes seem unfair to middle children, some of whom feel like an afterthought to a brilliant older sibling and unable to captivate the family's attention like the darling baby. Yet the middle position offers great training for the real world of lowered expectations, negotiation, and compromise. Middle children who often must break the mold set by an older sibling may thereby learn to challenge family values and seek their own identity."

-Marianne E. Neifert

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captivate

cap·ti·vate