bewitches

verb

present tense third-person singular of bewitch
1
as in possesses
to cast a spell on a Wiccan who believes that it is indeed possible to bewitch someone

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fascinates
to attract or delight as if by magic an animated film that bewitches children and adults alike

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bewitches The crown jewel of Yosemite National Park, Half Dome bewitches hikers with its sheer granite face looming 5,193 feet over the valley. — Lauren Matison, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bewitches
  1. possesses
  2. fascinates
  3. enchants
  4. entices
  5. seduces
  6. delights
  7. tempts
  8. captivates
Verb
  • Her path crosses with that of Inocência, an enslaved Black woman who possesses healing knowledge, knows the land, and devises her own strategies of resistance.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • More than 5% of equipment and materials supplied to US chipmakers originate in China, which also possesses some 90% of the rare earths required to manufacture semiconductors, a new report showed.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of possesses
Verb
  • The reaction to this movie fascinates me, starting in Cannes.
    — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 Oct. 2026
  • What fascinates me most isn't simply whether Wagner can squeeze 621 miles out of this massive battery.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of fascinates
Verb
  • Allegheny National Forest, just around 90 minutes from Erie, Pennsylvania, enchants with rolling peaks that reflect off calm, paddle-friendly waterways.
    — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2026
  • Ella has shades of Holly Hunter's intense, workaholic producer Jane from Brooks' 1987 masterpiece Broadcast News, the smartest person in any room who both exhausts and enchants everyone around her.
    — Esther Zuckerman, Time, 12 Dec. 2025
Definition of enchants
Verb
  • Turkey’s growing hair transplant and restoration industry in particular entices people with easy-to-digest all-inclusive packages advertised on their websites, online placements, and social media.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The high-concept thriller stars Valeria Bruni Tedeschi as a demonic character called The Stranger, who entices a young mother played by Jasmine Trinca into forging a Faustian pact.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of entices
Verb
  • Artificial plays like a modern-day parable in which the trickster god seduces the innocent.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Diaz centers music as the emotional vehicle that provides a philosophical structure for the character tropes and in turn psychologically seduces the audience to internalize certain ideas of social dynamics.
    — Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of seduces
Verb
  • This variety pack is the way to go in order to try all the chocolaty delights that Unreal has on offer.
    — Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The kind of mid-budget delights Cruise specialized are struggling to exist.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of delights
Verb
  • For most, fear of shame is a necessary backstop to push people away from what wrongly tempts them.
    — Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2026
  • While Sal tempts Sessa’s Bourdain with drugs, thievery and more bad behavior.
    — Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of tempts
Verb
  • The drama will blend mystery and suspense to revisit the events and legends surrounding a case that involved three unsolved murders, which still captivates people.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Decades later, the story still captivates Time hasn’t diminished people’s fascination with the crime.
    — Tom Mooney, The Providence Journal, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of captivates

Browse Nearby Words

bewitchery
bewitches
bewitching
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Cite this Entry

“Bewitches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bewitches. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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