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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.

In a grand courtroom adorned with 19th Century tapestries, the court was given a fascinating snapshot into the lives of the diverse cast of characters suspected of involvement in the heist.

From

"We were so fascinated with her and her family and their rise to fame... When the heist happened we were so surprised. How could burglars have gotten so close to her?"

From

Still, his research revealed a fascinating throughline: the line between highbrow and lowbrow cuisine has always been blurry, and gelatin salads are a perfect case study.

From

However, I am also fascinated with which character a director chooses to introduce the truth to the masses — and what it takes to get people to believe them.

From

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

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fasciitisfascinated