Standard Lemma guide

fascinating

adj · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈfæsɪˌneɪtɪŋ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: F AE1 S AH0 N EY2 T IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • utterly fascinating
  • find something fascinating
  • truly fascinating
  • The documentary was absolutely fascinating.
  • He told a fascinating story about his travels.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

present participle and gerund of fascinate

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

capturing interest as if by a spell

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • bewitching smile
  • Roosevelt was a captivating speaker
  • enchanting music
  • an enthralling book
  • antique papers of entrancing design
  • a fascinating woman

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bewitching, captivating, enchanting, enthralling, entrancing

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

capable of arousing and holding the attention

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a fascinating story

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: absorbing, engrossing, gripping, riveting

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

41 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Basque: liluragarri — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Bulgarian: очарова́телен (očarovátelen) — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Catalan: fascinador — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Catalan: fascinant — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Chinese Mandarin: 迷人的 (mírén de) — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Czech: okouzlující — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Czech: fascinující — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Danish: fascinerende — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Danish: betagende — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Danish: fængslende — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Esperanto: fascina — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Finnish: kiehtova — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Finnish: mielenkiintoinen — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Finnish: lumoava — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Finnish: hurmaava — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • French: fascinant — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • French: passionnant — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • German: faszinierend — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • German: bezaubernd — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Greek: συναρπαστικός (synarpastikós) — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Hindi: चित्ताकर्षक (cittākarṣak) — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Hungarian: érdekes — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Hungarian: érdekfeszítő — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Hungarian: magával ragadó — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Italian: suggestivo — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Italian: coinvolgente — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Italian: accattivante — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Japanese: 魅力的な (miryokuteki na) — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Malay: menakjubkan — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Malayalam: ആകർഷകമായ (ākaṟṣakamāya) — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Māori: manarū — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Polish: arcyciekawy — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Polish: przeciekawy — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Portuguese: fascinante — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Romanian: fascinant — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Russian: очарова́тельный (očarovátelʹnyj) — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Russian: обворожи́тельный (obvorožítelʹnyj) — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Russian: плени́тельный (plenítelʹnyj) — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Sanskrit: मनोहर (manohara) — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Spanish: fascinante — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive
  • Swedish: fascinerande — having interesting qualities; captivating; attractive