FASCINATES Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

fascinates

verb

present tense third-person singular of fascinate

as in entices

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 enchants

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 intrigues

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

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 fascinates 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 Gauna has filmed hundreds, maybe thousands of great white sharks across Southern California, and still their every movement, every action, fascinates him. — Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 3 Sep. 2026 Yet, what fascinates is that Aristotle’s God isn’t a typical divine being who summons and shepherds. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, what fascinates aspiring neurologist Makenzie Stovall is the idea that AI is trying to emulate the brain — an organ whose inner workings continue to leave researchers dumbfounded. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 But the skillful way in which they are woven together belies the efforts that went into telling this story, and Lovely Reader, this dedication to quality fascinates me. — Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 There is something magical about a firefly that fascinates young and old alike. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 June 2026 There is something about the play Harvey that fascinates me, especially for right now. — Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fascinates

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

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

What intrigues you about taking this fish, who’s been out of water, and throwing him back into familiar waters?

— Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Oct. 2026
The novel that will form the basis of Reacher’s now-in-production fifth season, 2015’s Make Me, finds Reacher visiting a midwestern hamlet called Mother’s Rest because the town’s name intrigues him.

— Chris Klimek, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of intrigues

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

Verb

Railing against a new crop of progressive candidates has emerged as a more animating focus for a president who thrills to a fight.

— Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Her strict economy, honed by her early years of writing and endlessly revising (under the exacting eye of Allene Talmey) tight captions for Vogue, thrills the editor in me.

— Zinzi Clemmons, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026

Definition of thrills

Verb

Cranor said a person’s risk depends on how often they are targeted, their security habits, their ability to recognize suspicious messages, and whether the lure really interests them.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
What interests Reczek and Bosley-Smith is what the information is allowed to disturb.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of interests

Verb

Everyone on stage mesmerizes, yet Christopher Nell as The Boy, a barrel of laughs and an acrobat, nonetheless steals the show.

— Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
During halftime, the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band mesmerizes the crowd with its military precision and complex formations.

— Kristen Tribe, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025

Definition of mesmerizes

Browse Nearby Words

fascinated

fascinates

fascinating

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Fascinates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fascinates. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of fascinates

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes