captivated

adjective

cap·​ti·​vat·​ed ˈkap-tə-ˌvā-təd 

: having one's interest or attention held or captured by something or someone charming, beautiful, entertaining, etc.

The captivated audience oohed and aahed as colorful patterns emerged on an overhead screen …

—Jean Hennelly Keith

At dinner, Wayne keeps the conversation smooth, like a captivated courtier seeking Neil's mother's hand.

—David Leavitt

Examples of captivated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sammy Sosa approaches the spotlight again Steele was only a toddler during the home run chase of 1998 when Sosa and Mark McGwire pursued the single-season record and captivated fans across the country. —Sahadev Sharma, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025

Rima had just finished showing the hotel’s guest book to a group of captivated tourists. —Youmna Melhem Chamieh, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025

Stewart-Jones became captivated by the microschooling model and its unique ability to individualize education for each learner. —Kerry McDonald, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025

White House lawyers and other Trump advisers disagreed, but Mr. Trump became captivated by it. —Maggie Haberman, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above