FASCINATE Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'fascinate' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of fascinate are allure , attract , captivate , charm , and enchant . While all these words mean "to draw another by exerting a powerful influence," fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist. // a story that continues to fascinate children

Q: When could 'allure' be used to replace 'fascinate'?

The words allure and fascinate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive. // an alluring smile

Q: When is 'attract' a more appropriate choice than 'fascinate'?

The meanings of attract and fascinate largely overlap; however, attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another. // students attracted by the school's locale

Q: How are the words 'charm' and 'captivate' related as synonyms of 'fascinate'?

Charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response, but it may, like captivate , suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration. // charmed by their hospitality // her performances captivated audiences

Q: When would 'enchant' be a good substitute for 'fascinate'?

While the synonyms enchant and fascinate are close in meaning, enchant is perhaps the strongest of these terms in stressing the appeal of the agent and the degree of delight evoked in the subject. // hopelessly enchanted by her beauty

fascinate

verb

ˈfa-sə-ˌnāt

Definition of fascinate

as in to entice

to attract or delight as if by magic for years the zoo's family of giant pandas have fascinated visitors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to enchant

to hold the attention of as if by a spell I can gaze at the sea for hours, fascinated by the never-ending waves crashing upon the shore

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to interest

to hold the attention of the subject of artificial intelligence fascinates me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fascinate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of fascinate are allure, attract, captivate, charm, and enchant. While all these words mean "to draw another by exerting a powerful influence," fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

When could allure be used to replace fascinate?

The words allure and fascinate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

When is attract a more appropriate choice than fascinate?

The meanings of attract and fascinate largely overlap; however, attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

How are the words charm and captivate related as synonyms of fascinate?

Charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response, but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

charmed by their hospitality

her performances captivated audiences

When would enchant be a good substitute for fascinate?

While the synonyms enchant and fascinate are close in meaning, enchant is perhaps the strongest of these terms in stressing the appeal of the agent and the degree of delight evoked in the subject.

hopelessly enchanted by her beauty

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 fascinate The question fascinated David Hilbert, a renowned mathematician who had devoted much of his life to rebuilding physics on a sturdy foundation of crisp axioms. — Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026 QAnon haunts Washington I’m particularly fascinated by the ghost of QAnon – how the theory continues to haunt politics today. — Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026 This paradox—a longing for beauty to be distributed equally, even though it cannot be diluted for ease of distribution, and might even require rarity—is why the period continues to fascinate me. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026 The tension, the uncertainty, the hovering between bravery and cowardice captures some of what fascinated me in Muriel Rukeyser’s novel Savage Coast. — Anne E. Fernald, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fascinate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fascinate

Verb

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
All of this casts doubt on whether the event will pull the kind of star power that entices TV networks to break their regular prime-time programming and compel viewers to skip an NFL game to tune in.

— Daniel Strauss, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of entice

Verb

In the last two months, New York City’s Radio City Music Hall hosted two ‘80s British music triple bills that delighted fans of the golden MTV era.

— David Chiu, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
This is a prospect that particularly delights Lady Eliza Spencer, Princess Diana’s niece and Prince Harry’s cousin.

— Mathilde Engelmann, Vanity Fair, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of delight

Verb

In January, just days after the Bears’ magical 2025 dream run ended with a playoff loss, Poles was thrilled when Johnson slammed the back cover on that season and ordered everyone to start working for 2026.

— Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Angels star Mike Trout, center, and his teammates were thrilled to learn Stan Kroenke, the billionaire Rams’ owner, agreed to buy the baseball team.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of thrill

Verb

When some of his friends became smokejumpers, he was intrigued.

— M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Yet some European philosophers were intrigued by the monism of Vedanta philosophy, whereas Evangelical Christians saw the same monism as a foundation for proselytizing Christian monotheism.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of intrigue

Verb

Despite a seemingly innate aversion to these images, the internet is captivated.

— Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
The result has captivated critics and audiences — and affirmed that the film deserved to see the light of day, after coming very close to disappearing into oblivion.

— David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of captivate

Verb

Researchers have built versions that grip tree branches, cling to rough walls, and even latch onto moving vehicles, but ice – especially steep, unpredictable glacier ice – had remained one of the field's toughest holdouts.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
Stock Chart IconStock chart icon In the lead-up to the 1997 crisis, markets were gripped by tech optimism amid the advent of the internet.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of grip

Browse Nearby Words

farthest

fascinate

fascinated

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Fascinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fascinate. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of fascinate

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Guess the Curious Origins of These...

The Sinister Origins of 'Fascinate'

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes

Synonyms of fascinate

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to fascinate

Guess the Curious Origins of These...

The Sinister Origins of 'Fascinate'

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes