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

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 enchant The masque, performed by gentle spirits, enchants the betrothed. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025 Viewers on TikTok were enchanted by the adorable baby goats in the clip. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Jan. 2025 Bern, Switzerland This enchanting Swiss city is recognized for its commitment to eco-friendly practices and green living. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025 Mallorca, the largest of Spain's enchanting Balearic Islands, has typically been synonymous with bucket-list beaches and opulent Spanish villas. Shea Peters, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for enchant 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enchant
Verb
  • And that also fascinates me, how one piece of clothing can have that many different styles and expressions to it—the wash, the color, the shape, the length, the waist, low slung, high waist, straight leg, wide leg.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 13 Feb. 2025
  • The British journalist and playwright Andrew Halliday was fascinated by these cards, especially one popular card that featured a lady and gentleman walking arm-in-arm up a pathway toward a church.
    Christopher Ferguson, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Human beings possess powers of emotional reasoning that give us an edge.
    Tara Sonenshine, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025
  • After a confrontation with the local shaman whose beliefs clash with her own, the missionary’s son (Klyne) is seemingly possessed by an ancient spirit.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Bloom reveals the pair hit it off straight away, and that he was especially charmed by how Barrymore, who began acting at only 11 months old, made an effort to connect with all of the kids on set, too.
    EW.com, EW.com, 28 Jan. 2025
  • Chiara de Rege’s recent client, a professional couple with a growing family, were charmed by a wall covering from the designer’s Maison C line, cladding a washroom in their former home with the pattern.
    Katherine Burns Olson, Architectural Digest, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • When he’s eventually given the title of Duke of Buckingham, his influence—and that of his mother—knows no bounds, spelling disaster for the country, the monarch, and, eventually, George and Mary themselves.
    Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2025
  • The veteran right fielder, who is entering the fourth and final year of his contract, is expected to platoon with Jesse Winker at DH in addition to spelling Soto on occasion in the outfield.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Builders have been slashing prices and offering incentives to entice buyers.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
  • The value proposition for players in a single-player game is a lot fuzzier, though; that's why Sony is adding some candy with these in-game unlockables to try to entice players to create accounts and sign in.
    Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 29 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The black comedy’s 2018 predecessor stars Kendrick as a widowed mommy vlogger who becomes bewitched by the chic and mysterious Emily, another mother at their kids’ school.
    Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2025
  • Greenland, an icy land whose rugged landscapes are bewitching, wants to attract more tourists, a paradox for a territory that is particularly vulnerable to global warming and whose geographical isolation means that many people have to take planes to get there.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • An adorable video of a Chihuahua who loves to floss has delighted the internet, as TikTok users can't get enough of his love of dental hygiene.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025
  • The store has delighted Sacramentans for decades with its abundant decor and offbeat merchandise, from novelty items like fake mustaches and rubber chickens to staples like candles and cookware.
    Annika Merrilees, Sacramento Bee, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • In the costume drama based on Guy de Maupassant’s 1885 novel of the same name, Pattinson portrayed an ambitious and amoral social striver, a former soldier who seeks to improve his fortunes by seducing the wives (played by Christina Ricci, Uma Thurman and Kristin Scott Thomas) of powerful men.
    Kevin Cassidy, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2025
  • His evolution from a homeless teen seducing girls on his friends’ couches into an international pop star with one foot in Hollywood and the other atop the Billboard charts has been a circuitous one filled with pitfalls — and some of the catchiest tunes of the century.
    Matthew Ismael Ruiz, Vulture, 12 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near enchant

Cite this Entry

“Enchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enchant. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

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