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View synonyms for

fascinate

[ fas-uh-neyt ]

verb (used with object)

fascinated, fascinating.
  1. to attract and hold attentively by a unique power, personal charm, unusual nature, or some other special quality; enthrall:

    His natural vivacity fascinates and dominates his audience, leading them wherever he will.

    Synonyms: , , , ,

  2. to arouse the interest or curiosity of:

    As I learned about ancient Egyptian religion, I found elements that fascinated me.

  3. to transfix or deprive of the power of resistance, as through terror:

    The sight of the snake fascinated the rabbit.

  4. Obsolete. to bewitch.
  5. Obsolete. to cast under a spell by a look.


verb (used without object)

fascinated, fascinating.
  1. to capture the interest or hold the attention.

fascinate

/ ˈæɪˌԱɪ /

verb

  1. to attract and delight by arousing interest or curiosity

    his stories fascinated me for hours

  2. to render motionless, as with a fixed stare or by arousing terror or awe
  3. archaic.
    to put under a spell
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Usage

A person can be fascinated by or with another person or thing. It is correct to speak of someone's fascination with a person or thing; one can also say a person or thing has a fascination for someone
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Derived Forms

  • ˌڲˈԲپDz, noun
  • ˈڲԲپ, adjective
  • ˈڲˌԲٱ, adverb
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Other Word Forms

  • ڲ··Բ·پ adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of fascinate1

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin ڲٳܲ, past participle of ڲ “to bewitch, cast a spell on,” verbal derivative of fascinum “evil spell, bewitchment”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of fascinate1

C16: from Latin ڲ , from fascinum a bewitching
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

But just when the central characters’ fascinating messiness achieves peak interest, you realize this movie’s earnest commercial shimmer is never going to segue into a denser, darker poetry.

From

"I spend a lot of time at the Albert Hall in the middle of the night, practicing, and I find it fascinating that the building is still just running overnight," she says.

From

As someone with an education in conflict and negotiation, I've been fascinated with Meghan since the rumors of her romance with the lesser-liked "spare" prince, Harry, started rumbling nearly a decade ago.

From

It will be fascinating now to see if City can keep alive their hopes of domestic silverware alive.

From

Early on, Cronenberg begins to juggle some fascinating ideas about our varied responses to grief, and in turn, the different forms grief can take.

From

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