enchant

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of enchant are allure, attract, captivate, charm, and fascinate. While all these words mean "to draw another by exerting a powerful influence," 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

Where would allure be a reasonable alternative to enchant?

The synonyms allure and enchant are sometimes interchangeable, but allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

When is attract a more appropriate choice than enchant?

The meanings of attract and enchant 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 do charm and captivate relate to one another, in the sense of enchant?

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

In what contexts can fascinate take the place of enchant?

The words fascinate and enchant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

Examples 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 enchant The dance of shadow and light of the handcrafted candleholders dreamed up by artist Pietro Ruffo will enchant, featuring illustrations of 30 Avenue Montaigne, La Colle Noire and a design inspired by the French royal gardens. Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 Taylor Swift enchanted the more than 70,000 beglittered and sequined fans who filled Lucas Oil Stadium despite facing some minor technical difficulties. Holly V. Hays, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Nov. 2024 In a sea of pop culture witches, few have enchanted the public quite like the Owen sisters in 1998’s Practical Magic. Ivana Rihter, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2024 While this lauded historical fiction isn’t nestled amongst fall foliage necessarily, there’s something enchanting about being whisked back in time and made privy to deep friendship bonds between women—and a brave heroine to remember. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for enchant 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enchant
Verb
  • Carvana Retail investors are fascinated by Carvana, which sells used cars online and delivers them from buildings that resemble giant vending machines.
    John Dorfman, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
  • But then, obviously, people were fascinated by the religion side of it too.
    Claire Carusillo, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Loading your audio article SAN FRANCISCO — The Hayward man behind an iconic 2021 sideshow photograph has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for possessing guns that police found during a raid of his residence, court records show.
    Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
  • Abubakar Salim possesses the kind of optimism actors require.
    Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • With more than 100 images of everything from the carousel to the coaster to cafes, this book will charm any Angeleno who has ever walked, surfed, swam, eaten, flirted or gazed at the pier.
    Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
  • Canada Experimental filmmaker Rankin charmed Cannes Directors’ Fortnight audiences with this offbeat absurdist satire that affectionately borrows the tropes of Iranian arthouse cinema to imagine a parallel-universe Winnipeg where Farsi is the dominant tongue.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Netanyahu has struggled to maintain a hold over his fragile, right-wing governing coalition and its muddle of competing interests, whose collapse could spell the end of his leadership.
    Tara John, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Even Real Clear Polling didn’t spell his name right.
    Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • This approach also allows businesses to adopt next-generation capabilities without overwhelming their existing infrastructure or processes as an organization, enticing your organization to continue with transformation along the way.
    Josh Ashby, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
  • At jewelry houses, timepieces offered male clients a reason to treat themselves while buying baubles for their significant others, or they were seen as a mass-marketing tool, a means of enticing clients who might not be able to afford a million-dollar high-jewelry necklace or five-figure handbag.
    Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Ideal for: Stylish types bewitched by the 20th century’s greatest fashion designers.
    Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 13 June 2024
  • The museum's focus is not only on bringing alive the story of Andersen's amazingly interesting life (filled with love, heartbreak and adventure) but also on taking you by the hand and plunging you headfirst on an immersive journey through Andersen’s bewitching stories.
    Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • The keyboard’s trademark shallow key travel remains the same, which is a demerit for heavy-handed typists like myself but should delight light-touch Mac users who prefer little to no resistance when typing.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
  • A day care facility in Maine has delighted the internet by revealing which dog breed is the clingiest, and needless to say, anyone who owns a German shorthaired pointer can relate.
    Alyce Collins, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Cruel Intentions follows the elite students of Manchester College, where two ruthless step-siblings will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy, including seducing the daughter of the vice-president of the United States.
    Anne Victoria Clark, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
  • Police later learned that the prisoners had seduced the seamstress as a part of their escape plot.
    Emily Blackwood, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near enchant

Cite this Entry

“Enchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enchant. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on enchant

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