Captivated
/ˈkæptɪveɪtɪd/
verbIntermediate📊CommonGeneral
1 meaning1 question
Definitions
1
To fascinate or enchant someone, holding their complete attention.
/ˈkæptɪveɪtɪd/
verbpositiveIntermediate
General
To hold the attention of someone completely
The breathtaking scenery captivated her.
💡 Simply: To be completely charmed or fascinated by something.
More Examples
2
His charisma captivated the crowd.
How It's Used
Literature
"The captivating story held the reader's attention until the very end."
Performance Arts
"The singer's voice captivated the audience."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
From Middle English *captifien*, from Old French *captiver*, from Latin *captivus* "captive, prisoner". The -ated suffix indicates the past participle form, signifying a state of being captivated.
Historically, the word carried a stronger connotation of being held prisoner, but its modern usage emphasizes fascination and enchantment.
Memory tip
Imagine a captivating performance that keeps you completely engrossed.
Word Origin
Original meaning
"to take captive"
Base: captivate
captivated audiencecaptivated bycompletely captivated
Common misspellings
captivatedcaptivetdcaptivateed
Practice
Usage
20%Spoken
80%Written