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to enthrall

to enthrall

20 6.8
To hold someone's full attention by being very interesting
  • verb
  • /ɪnˈθrɔl/
translation icon : fascinar
  • The audience was enthralled by the magician's astonishing performance, unable to take their eyes off him.
  • become enthralled
  • enthrall the public

They can still enthrall you and excite you and stimulate you.

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Examples

  • My father, too, became enthralled and sat motionless among his butter beans until Uncle Zeno concluded.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Fans of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will certainly be enthralled by the sequel.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Well, as the trial of Donald J Trump has started, I have just been enthralled with all of it.

  • Your friends on the committee will be enthralled.

  • Annie had been enthralled by Rain from the moment she first saw him.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Your eyes are closed, and you are listening to music that enthralls and absorbs your attention.

    Academic text (2016)
  • Straight away, his audience is enthralled by George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.

  • The film left me enthralled and fascinated, even a little horrified in an abstract way.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The public was enthralled by the recent events surrounding Homer's death and Langley's curious disappearance.

    Academic text (2016)
  • Tituba was her name, and she regularly regailed groups of enthralled girls with vivid tales of voodoo spells and witchcraft.

Synonyms

to fascinate
vsto enthrall
238 3.4

To attract and hold someone's strong interest or attention

suggests a more complete, spellbound level of attention
to intrigue
vsto enthrall
143 5.1

To make someone curious or interested

denotes deeper, more total attention rather than initial curiosity
to delight
vsto enthrall
79 2.1

To please someone very much

stresses full, spellbound attention rather than simple pleasure
to mesmerize
vsto enthrall
  • US
39 6.4

To hold someone's full attention as if by magic

describes the same total attention without the explicit spell image
to rivet
vsto enthrall
33 6.1

To hold someone's full attention because something is very interesting or surprising

is broader, implying fascination rather than just steady focus
to captivate
vsto enthrall
19 4.2

To attract and hold someone's full attention

leans more toward general charm rather than magical captivation
to engross
vsto enthrall
17 5.8

To hold someone's full attention

adds a stronger sense of fascination or being spellbound
to enchant
vsto enthrall
17 4.8

To make someone feel very pleased and amazed as if by magic

focuses more on holding complete attention than on delight
to ravish
vsto enthrall
  • Literature
6 8.7

To fill someone with great joy and amazement

is similar but centers more on pure fascination than delight
to enrapture
vsto enthrall
  • Literature
6 7.8

To make someone feel very happy and amazed

places emphasis on fascination rather than on pleasurable feeling
to spellbind
vsto enthrall
1 7.0

To hold people completely interested as if by magic

does not stress the magic-like quality of the effect
to enamor
vsto enthrall
  • US
1 7.0

To make someone feel love and admiration for a person or thing

is about holding full attention rather than creating romantic feeling
to enthral
vsto enthrall
  • US
7.2

Hold someone's attention completely and make them feel very interested

is the same idea but stated in the key's wording
to sweep off someone's feet
vsto enthrall
  • Informal
4.5

Make someone feel very impressed and strongly attracted

focuses on complete attention without implying romantic infatuation

Antonyms

Make someone stop believing an idea that is not true or realistic

How Captivating

to enthrall
20 6.8
to engage
117 3.5
to interest
206 1.0

Surface Forms

enthrall infinitive
enthralled past
enthralled past participle
enthralling present participle
enthralls third person singular

Morphology

enthrall = thrall (semi-transparent) = en + thrall

Formed by en- + thrall; the modern sense 'hold spellbound' is a metaphorical extension of 'enslave', so the relation is clear but shifted.

Etymology

Enthrall comes from the old parts en- and thrall, where thrall meant 'slave' or someone kept under control. A helpful way to remember this is to imagine being 'held' so tightly you cannot look away, which is why enthrall now means to grab and keep someone's full attention.