adj

captivating

KAP-tih-vay-tihng

adj

So interesting, charming, or beautiful that it holds someone's full attention.

"Her captivating smile was the first thing anyone noticed about her."

"He told a captivating story that kept the children silent for once."

How to Use Captivating

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSo interesting or attractive that it grabs and holds your attention.

Common pairings

captivating performance captivating story a captivating smile

more captivating comparative, most captivating superlative

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Her _____ smile was the first thing anyone noticed about her.

Formed from captivate (from Latin captivus, "captured, taken prisoner") plus the ending -ing.

mating rating eating dating hating heating grating stating beating coating skating seating