CAPTIVATION Synonyms: 41 Similar and Opposite Words

captivation

noun

Definition of captivation

as in appeal

the power of irresistible attraction by some mysterious method of captivation, the therapist is able to evoke a response from even the shiest of children

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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 captivation Ultimately, Fonda opened up to dating Turner, and their relationship became a point of captivation for the media, as the liberal Hollywood star and the conservative, audacious businessman appeared to be total opposites. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026 Wembanyama’s captivation with the intricacies of space travel was apparent. — Jared Weiss, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivation

Noun

Now, in the midst of a subdued market, investors are being more selective, and the new playbook for funding fashion has a lot to do with the quality of that growth, the depth of connection with customers and the founder’s individual appeal.

— Tara Donaldson, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
Lucas chose to accept his execution and waive further appeals after DeSantis signed his death warrant in July.

— Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of appeal

Noun

The list of 500 schools was compiled by the magazine and data research firm Statista, Schools were given a score based on their student outcomes, learning environment and their attractiveness to students.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
The stakes are high, with victory on the track bringing in prize money and enhancing the team’s attractiveness to sponsors like Petronas and Microsoft.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of attractiveness

Noun

The film grew out of Herzog’s fascination with British twins Freda and Greta Chaplin, who became tabloid fodder in the 1980s after a neighbor was granted a restraining order against them.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
On the one hand, there’s a fascination with collective joy and the forms of vernacular invention that aspire to it; on the other, there’s an underlying melancholy that points to the inevitability of isolation, an epistemology of loneliness.

— Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of fascination

Noun

While the tents have the most charm, imo—ivory canvas walls, Adirondack chairs on wooden porches, true beds with sheepskin throws and wooden frames—the cabins and suites are unsurprisingly the more comfortable option.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
Even as Modi and his ministers go on a charm offensive, local media report Indian police booked thousands on criminal charges.

— Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of charm

Noun

But though these chemicals are linked to mating in animal species, a link between pheromones and romantic attraction hasn’t been established in humans.

— Rachel Hale, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
With seven weekends and multiple attractions to choose from, visitors might want to visit the festival more than once.

— Rashad Alexander August 31, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of attraction

Noun

That’s the seductiveness of the Reflecting Pool.

— Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 25 June 2026
Their easy, hedonic seductiveness emerges, too, via Yuskavage’s lush, rounded, fleshy brushstrokes (a different sort of stroke material, for the patriarchy or for anyone else), which render everything from boobs to bellies to nipples smooth and swollen, like a succulent fruit fixing to burst.

— Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 23 May 2026

Definition of seductiveness

Noun

The bacon is cooked until deeply caramelized, with crisp, smoky edges surrounding a rich and tender center, then finished with local Arizona honey for a delicate touch of sweetness.

— Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
And for a few minutes in Kyiv, cultures, death and geopolitics yielded to the power of sweetness and puppy love, as well as the symbolism of resilience and protection.

— Laurie Kellman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of sweetness

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captivating

captivation

captivator

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“Captivation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivation. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of captivation

noun

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