to transfix

Examples

• All

• Your voice is transfixing, and quickly the pool games click quiet, and the bartender crosses his arms and ignores his customers. Even the good old boys in the corner, the bachelors with long knives in their belts and pocked faces hidden by hats and glasses, even they listen.

  Fiction book (1998)

• These village scenes transfix me, and before I realize it, one hour becomes two and morning becomes afternoon.

  Academic text (2003)

• "We never knew exactly where you stood on issues," Angela had told him later, transfixing him with her electric blue eyes.

  Fiction book (2002)

• She performed each piece as if she were a storyteller, transfixing the audience as she dramatically enunciated each word.

  Blog text (28)

• He writes: "The painting's desire is to change places with the beholder, to transfix or paralyze the beholder, turning him into an image for the gaze of the picture" (76).

  Academic text (2014)

• The magician's dazzling performance completely transfixed the audience, leaving them in awe.

• The stunning view from the mountaintop transfixed her, making her forget all her worries.

• As the storyteller spoke, the children were transfixed by his tales of adventure and mystery.

Synonyms

F

to fascinate

vsto transfix

238 3.4

To attract and hold someone's strong interest or attention

involves actual freezing of movement through strong awe or terror

G

to grip

vsto transfix

50 6.0

To hold someone's attention or emotions strongly

freezes more by sudden amazement or awe rather than by steady holding

M

to mesmerize

vsto transfix

• US

39 6.4

To hold someone's full attention as if by magic

stops people physically through strong awe or terror rather than only attention

A

to awe

vsto transfix

24 4.1

To fill someone with a feeling of respect and wonder, sometimes with fear, often caused by something impressive or beautiful

tends to freeze people physically as well as inspire wonder or fear

P

to petrify

vsto transfix

7 4.8

To make someone so frightened that they cannot move or think

is about freezing people with strong amazement or mixed wonder and terror

S

to spellbind

vsto transfix

1 7.0

To hold people completely interested as if by magic

focuses on making people motionless with amazement or fear not just attention

L

to leave in awe

vsto transfix

1 4.4

To make someone feel very amazed and full of admiration

also causes physical immobility in addition to producing admiration or amazement

Antonyms

F

to free

337 1.0

To release someone or something that is held

How Amazed

to petrify

7 4.8

to transfix

1 7.6

to amaze

294 1.0

to astonish

13 3.5

to surprise

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology