SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
enthrall
verb
To hold someone's attention completely through fascination or delight.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Hold spellbound
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topRivet emphasizes holding attention; enthrall usually adds fascination or delight.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See enthrall in use
The storyteller could enthrall a room with the simplest tale.
For a neighborhood audio festival, Asha recorded a captivating story about two strangers who repeatedly received each other's letters. The unexpected connection could enthrall listeners because each new envelope changed their understanding of the characters.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license