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 of enchant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That was when Andy Newman — alias Thunderclap — enchanted me with his piano playing. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2024 Those wishes came true in September 2022, when the sorceress siblings reunited to enchant a new generation of Halloweeners in Disney+’s Hocus Pocus 2. Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 8 Oct. 2024 Its quiet influence has enchanted the street style set for the past few seasons—a fact evident by Alaïa Le Teckel’s continued dominance. Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2024 From the train window, enchanting views of fields, rivers, gorges, mountains, and tunnels unfolded before me. Nayanika Guha, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for enchant 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'enchant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near enchant

Cite this Entry

“Enchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enchant. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on enchant

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