spellbinding 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of spellbindingnext
as in riveting

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spellbinding

2 of 3

noun

as in enchantment

Synonyms & Similar Words

spellbinding

3 of 3

verb

present participle of spellbind
as in fascinating
to hold the attention of as if by a spell the tale about pirates and their buried treasure had completely spellbound the children

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 spellbinding
Adjective
Check out its first direct image of a gas giant exoplanet as well as a spellbinding view of the Phantom Galaxy. — Ashley Strickland and Katie Hunt, CNN, 3 Sep. 2022 This easy pullout on the Kancamagus Highway brings motorists face-to-face with a spellbinding view of the White Mountains that stretches on for miles. — Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 10 Jan. 2022 The most spellbinding moment of the night came afterward, as the crew switched out James Krivchenia’s kick drum. — Justin Curto, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2021 Though the future of Venice is uncertain, the Pearl of the Adriatic remains one of the most spellbinding and iconic destinations in Europe. — Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2020 See All Example Sentences for spellbinding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spellbinding
  1. riveting
  2. enchantment
  3. hypnotic
  4. bewitchment
  5. engrossing
  6. automatism
  7. thrilling
  8. enchanting
Adjective
  • For Cass, living out in the world, among other people, is precarious, whether because of their gender identity, the childhood traumas that have left them unable to trust people, or the subtle, unspoken space where the two overlap — externalized by Oxman with riveting, static closeups.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The book impacted me not only because of the riveting events, which couldn’t have been imagined by the most creative Hollywood writer, but also because of Rahaf’s bravery and determination to seek freedom.
    — Agustina Vergara Cid, Orange County Register, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of riveting
Noun
  • At first glance, however, Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with its whimsical magic and fantastical elements, is an unlikely fit for Soviet children’s literature, which favored themes of hard work and collective struggle over wish fulfillment and enchantment.
    — Christin Bohnke, JSTOR Daily, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Sometimes Goodman seems a little too audibly aware of the enchantment of her formula.
    — Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2025
Definition of enchantment
Adjective
  • His viral videos are hypnotic, hard-to-comprehend highlight reels, featuring explosive dunks and intricate maneuvers performed by the lightning-fast athlete, such as bouncing a basketball on a fast break behind his back and then picking up the dribble to score.
    — Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 6 Mar. 2025
  • The bridge, however, uses compression and digital manipulation to conjure up a hypnotic effect, almost like a loop.
    — Ernesto Lechner, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Definition of hypnotic
Noun
  • But if there is some kind of bewitchment going on in these encounters, Evelyn is entirely immune.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2025
  • By the end, the production seems to be working extra hard to keep the show’s seductiveness level from sinking, pumping in the odd flicker of magic whenever the score falls down on the job of bewitchment.
    — Vulture, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2023
Definition of bewitchment
Adjective
  • But first, there’s an engrossing look at the life of a multi-faceted woman who grew up in the squeaky-clean 1950s, with a dad who worked in PR for Disney.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025
  • In the hands of director Hannah Meade, the play has an engrossing horror movie quality, with a jump scare or two, but the story’s arc is hard to follow.
    — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of engrossing
Noun
  • Their players look connected, know where each other are and play with fluidity and automatism.
    — Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024
  • French critic Laurent Jenny, in a piece translated by Thomas Trezise, contrasts Breton and Spanish artist Salvador Dalí, who, beginning in 1930, challenged some of the ideas of automatism.
    — Allison C. Meier, JSTOR Daily, 19 Sep. 2024
Definition of automatism
Verb
  • Elsewhere in the interview, the Australian actress revealed that the movie — in which Kidman plays a woman having an affair with a younger man — was thrilling for her.
    — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
  • With such fine margins at play, a thrilling title race is effectively guaranteed.
    — Neel Shelat, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
Definition of thrilling
Adjective
  • An enchanting dessert, bosque lluvioso (rainy woodland), was made of black chanterelles and powdered pine needles, infused with a distillate of soil.
    — Agnish Ray, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2025
  • An enchanting carousel horse, thought to be made by Marcus Charles Illions—an influential Brooklyn carousel carver who was born in Lithuania and who traveled to the U.S. in 1888 with an animal showman—lends context to the famous ornate Coney Island style of carousel design.
    — Jacoba Urist, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of enchanting

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Cite this Entry

“Spellbinding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spellbinding. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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