fascinate
gb/fˈæsənˌeɪt/ us/fˈæsənˌeɪt/
B2
Anglais
~ 8900
Sens
0 sens
Verbe
B2
action
1
to strongly interest someone
To make someone very interested so they watch or think about something for a long time.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] fascinates [someone]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners often confuse the subject and object. We say "Math fascinates me" (math = subject, me = object), not *"I fascinate math." Another common mistake is using "fascinate" when they only mean "like" or "be interested in". "Fascinate" is stronger, used when interest is very high or lasting. Also watch the -ed / -ing forms: "I am fascinated by animals" (correct) vs. *"I am fascinating by animals" (incorrect).
Synonymes
intrigue (Suggests strong curiosity, often because something is mysterious or hard to understand.)
|
absorb (Focuses on taking all someone’s attention, often for a period of time, not always because it is amazing.)
|
engross (Emphasizes being so focused that you ignore everything else; slightly more formal than "fascinate.")
Antonymes
bore (Means to make someone feel tired or uninterested, the opposite of strongly attracting attention.)
|
put off (Means to make someone not want to think about or be involved with something; opposite of drawing them in.)
Collocations
absolutely fascinate
|continue to fascinate
|never fails to fascinate
|fascinate the public
|fascinate audiences
|fascinate children
Thèmes
emotions
|communication
|education
|art
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Astronomy fascinates her because it helps explain how the universe began.
- The way children learn languages never fails to fascinate scientists.
- True-crime podcasts fascinate millions of listeners around the world.
- The history of this city continues to fascinate tourists and locals alike.
- His detailed stories about life at sea completely fascinated the students.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Space and stars fascinate many people.
- Computers fascinated him when he was a child.
- The movie fascinated the children, and they sat very still.
- Dinosaurs fascinate my little brother.
- Science books fascinate her, so she reads them every day.
Verbe
B2
action
2
to strongly attract or charm
To make someone feel very strongly attracted and unable to look away or stop thinking about a person or thing.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone]/[something] fascinates [someone]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use this sense for very small or normal interest, where "like" or "be interested in" is better. This sense suggests a strong emotional pull or charm, not just simple interest. Also, avoid saying *"fascinate with" as a verb pattern (e.g. *"She fascinated me with her dress"); more natural is "She fascinated me" or "Her dress fascinated me."
Synonymes
captivate (Very close in meaning; often used for beauty, performance, or personality that holds attention like a charm.)
|
enchant (Stronger sense of magic or beauty; can sound more literary or romantic than "fascinate.")
|
mesmerize (Suggests almost hypnotic power, so someone cannot look away or think of anything else.)
Antonymes
repel (Means to strongly push someone away or disgust them, the opposite of attracting them powerfully.)
|
leave cold (An informal phrase meaning not to affect or interest someone at all; opposite of strongly attracting them.)
Collocations
fascinate the audience
|fascinate viewers
|fascinate the imagination
|visually fascinate
|deeply fascinate
Thèmes
emotions
|relationships
|art
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The dancer’s graceful movements fascinated the audience into complete silence.
- The city’s night lights fascinated him as he looked out from the plane window.
- Her quiet confidence fascinated everyone who met her.
- The strange, silent landscape fascinated the photographer.
- The tiger’s slow, powerful walk fascinated the crowd at the zoo.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The fire in the dark room fascinated the children.
- Her voice fascinated him, and he could not stop listening.
- The beautiful colors in the sky fascinated us.
- The magic show fascinated the crowd.
- The baby’s big eyes fascinated the old man.
Verbe
literary
C1
action
3
to bewitch or put under a spell
To make someone feel or act as if you used magic on them, so they cannot move or look away.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone]/[something] fascinates [someone]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may not realize this sense is rare and mostly appears in old stories, fantasy, or poetic language. In normal modern speech, use "fascinate" in the general sense of "strongly interest" or "strongly attract," not for real magic.
Synonymes
bewitch (Emphasizes magical control or charm, often in fantasy or historical settings.)
|
spellbind (Suggests holding people as if by a magic spell, often used for performances or stories in a literary style.)
Antonymes
release (Means to set someone free from control, the opposite of holding them under a spell-like power.)
Collocations
fascinate like a snake
|seem to fascinate
|fascinate prey
Thèmes
literature
|fantasy
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- In the old tale, the sorcerer could fascinate his enemies with a single glance.
- The cobra seemed to fascinate its prey, holding the small bird frozen in place.
- Legends told of a queen whose eyes could fascinate anyone who looked into them.
Exemples pédagogiques
- In the story, the witch fascinates the prince with her eyes.
- The snake fascinates the mouse so it cannot run away.
- The old book says the king can fascinate people with magic.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
fascinate
API
GB/fˈæsənˌeɪt/
US/fˈæsənˌeɪt/
Syllabes et accentuation
fas - cin - ate (3 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (fas)
Formes du mot
Verb
- Base: fascinate
- 3rd Person Singular: fascinates
- Present Participle: fascinating
- Past: fascinated
Famille de mots
Forms
Core family
fascination
noun B2
Related words
fascinatingly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
unfascinating
adjective
unfascinated
adjective
Expressions
be fascinated by
1/bˈi fˈæsənˌeɪtɪd bˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
to be very interested in something
To feel very interested in something or someone so that you want to know or see more.
Exemples
- As a child, she was fascinated by insects and kept them in small jars to study them.
- Many people are fascinated by stories of lost cities and hidden treasure.
- He is fascinated by how quickly technology is changing our lives.
be fascinated with
1/bˈi fˈæsənˌeɪtɪd wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
to feel a deep attraction to something
To feel a strong, often long-lasting interest or attraction to something or someone.
Exemples
- She has always been fascinated with languages and wants to learn at least five.
- The artist is fascinated with light and shadow in his paintings.
- Children are often fascinated with dinosaurs and other ancient animals.