enthrall Hear it!

enthrall Definition

en·thrall (en t̸hrôl′, in-)

transitive verb -·thralled′, -·thrall′·ing

  1. Now Rare to make a slave of; enslave
  2. to hold as if in a spell; captivate; fascinate

Etymology: ME enthrallen: see en- & thrall

enthrall Related Forms

en·thrall′·ment noun or en·thral′·ment

enthrall Synonyms

enthrall

v.

captivate, bewitch, enchant, spellbind; see fascinate.

enthrall Usage Examples

Object

  • audience: He is a remarkable speaker, who enthralled a capacity audience from the start of the event.
  • contest: Reading Bulldogs defeated their local rivals Swindon Robins 46-44 in what was an enthralling contest between two Elite League heavy weights at Smallmead Stadium.
  • encounter: Several backmarkers crashed out at Coppice at the start of an enthralling first leg encounter.
  • crowd: The Squirrel was joined by local storyteller Sue Bailey, who enthralled the crowd with her Squirrel Tales.
  • story: An enthralling love story set Europe threatened by the shadow of Hitler's Reich.
  • adventure: Hours of absorbing activity are contained in this enthralling astral adventure, which will captivate children and fire their imaginations.

Subject

  • performance: It was obvious that they were enthralled by the performance.
  • book: I wasn't enthralled by this book; I was a bit bored by the story.
  • beauty: Intrepid travelers through the ages have been enthralled by the natural beauty, the differing cultures and the riches offered within Central Asia.

Modifying Another Word

  • utterly: I was utterly enthralled by a paperback I read recently.
  • absolutely: We were all absolutely enthralled with your talk last night.
  • totally: I remember being totally enthralled by the music and costumes.
  • equally: But the build up of 39 tournaments prior to the main event should be equally enthralling.
  • completely: Children become completely enthralled watching them steam around the track, seeing exactly how they work.
  • truly: None the less; this is a truly enthralling piece of work.

Present participle complement

watch: Children become completely enthralled watching them steam around the track, seeing exactly how they work.

Preposition: for

hour: Who does not know a child that will be enthralled for hours with a big box of Lego.

Preposition: by

  • performance: It was obvious that they were enthralled by the performance.
  • story: As a teenager I was enthralled by stories about Odell and Concord told to me by the late Mr. Cleaver Lay of Village Farm.
  • book: I wasn't enthralled by this book; I was a bit bored by the story.