What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
captivate
Example
The magician's performance captivated the audience, leaving them in awe. [captivated: past tense]
Example
The book captivated me from the first page with its gripping storyline. [captivated: verb]
fascinate
Example
The documentary on marine life fascinated me with its stunning underwater footage. [fascinated: past tense]
Example
She has always been fascinated by ancient history and loves reading books on the subject. [fascinated: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Fascinate is more commonly used than captivate in everyday language. Fascinate is versatile and can be used in various contexts, while captivate is less common and often associated with more formal or literary usage.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between captivate and fascinate?
While captivate can have a slightly more formal or literary connotation, fascinate is more commonly used in both formal and informal contexts.
