charm

1 of 2

noun

ˈchärm 

1

a

: the chanting or reciting of a magic spell : incantation

b

: a practice or expression believed to have magic power

2

: something worn about the person to ward off evil or ensure good fortune : amulet

wore a rabbit's foot as a good-luck charm

3

a

: a trait that fascinates, allures, or delights

the charm of this imaginative story

b

: a physical grace (see grace entry 1 sense 3) or attraction

—used in plural

her feminine charms

c

: compelling attractiveness

the island possessed great charm

4

: a small ornament worn on a bracelet or chain

Her sister presented her with a sterling silver charm for her bracelet.

5

: a fundamental quark that has an electric charge of +²/₃ and a measured energy of approximately 1.5 GeV

also : the flavor characterizing this particle

charmless

ˈchärm-ləs 

adjective

charm

2 of 2

verb

charmed; charming; charms

transitive verb

1

a

: to affect by or as if by magic : compel

b

: to please, soothe, or delight by compelling attraction

charms customers with his suave manner

2

: to endow with or as if with supernatural powers by means of charms

also : to protect by or as if by spells, charms, or supernatural influences

3

: to control (an animal) typically by charms (such as the playing of music)

charm a snake

intransitive verb

1

: to practice magic and enchantment

witches having the power to charm

2

: to have the effect of a charm : fascinate

The village charms by its quaintness.

charmer

ˈchär-mər 

noun

Synonyms

Noun

• amulet
• fetish
• fetich
• mascot
• mojo
• periapt
• phylactery
• talisman

Verb

• allure
• beguile
• bewitch
• captivate
• enchant
• fascinate
• kill
• magnetize
• wile
• witch [archaic]

Choose the Right Synonym for charm

attract, allure, charm, captivate, fascinate, enchant mean to draw another by exerting a powerful influence.

attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response

charmed by their hospitality

, but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

her performances captivated audiences

fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

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

Examples of charm in a Sentence

Noun

He keeps a horseshoe as a good luck charm.

He fell under the spell of her charms.

The resort has many charms.

The inn has a quaint charm.

The island possesses great charm.

The new curtains add charm to the room.

The seaside location is a big part of the house's charm.

He won her over with his charm.

Verb

The snake was charmed by the music.

He was known for his ability to charm voters.

He charmed the committee into approving his proposal.

I was charmed by the cozy country inn.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Away from the usual suspects such as Oxford and Regent Streets and the tourist attractions of Winter Wonderland, London has many peaceful havens full of Christmas charm to enjoy the festive atmosphere. —Michele Robson, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

The Cigar leather loveseat packs a whole lot of charm into a compact frame. —Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 2 Dec. 2024

Verb

Is anyone else charmed by its likeness to a cartoon person? —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 2 Dec. 2024

The Origami Holiday Tree, on the other hand, has character and charm in spades. —Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English charme "verse used in incantation, magic spell, the power of such a spell, magic," borrowed from Anglo-French, "magic spell" (also continental Old French), going back to Latin carmin-, carmen "ritual utterance, magical chant, spell, song, poem," dissimilated from *can-men-, from canere "to sing, chant" + -men, resultative noun suffix — more at chant entry 1

Note: P. Fouché regards charme as a learned word rather than a direct continuation of *carmine (Phonétique historique du français, vol. 3 [Paris, 1966], p. 828).

Verb

Middle English charmen "to recite or cast a magic spell, cast a spell on," borrowed from Anglo-French charmer, derivative of charme "magic spell, charm entry 1"

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing charm

• the third time is the charm
• work like a charm

Kids Definition

charm

1 of 2 noun

ˈchärm 

1

: a word, action, or thing believed to have magic power

2

: something worn to keep away evil and bring good luck

3

: a small ornament worn on a chain or bracelet

4

: a quality that attracts and pleases

charm

2 of 2 verb

1

: to affect or influence by or as if by a magic spell

charm a snake

2

: to protect by or as if by a charm

a charmed life

3

a

: delight entry 2 sense 2, fascinate

b

: to attract by grace or beauty

charmer noun

Etymology

Noun

Middle English charme "magic word," from early French charme (same meaning), from Latin carmen "song," from canere "to sing" — related to chant, chantey