spellbound 1 of 2

adjective

ˈspel-ˌbau̇nd How to pronounce spellbound (audio)
Definition of spellboundnext
as in charmed
being or appearing to be under a magic spell spellbound audiences never tire of this annual Christmas favorite

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

spellbound

2 of 2

verb

past tense of spellbind
as in fascinated
to hold the attention of as if by a spell the tale about pirates and their buried treasure had completely spellbound the children

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spellbound
Adjective
The result was a strangely spellbound life. — Merve Emre, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025 The waxing and waning of the substorm conditions fuel auroras all night, keeping us spellbound for hours. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 17 Nov. 2025 Set in Salem, Massachusetts, the third season will dive deeper into the mythology of witchcraft, introduce new ‘spellbound’ families and feature some of the historical happenings of Salem, the infamous town of witch trials and folklore. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025 Kingly legacy Isaacs was equally spellbound by the Zulu. — Adam L. Rovner, The Conversation, 31 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spellbound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spellbound
  1. charmed
  2. fascinated
  3. enchanted
  4. mesmerized
  5. magic
  6. magical
Adjective
  • The actor discussed their charmed meet-cute on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2011.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 9 July 2026
  • Across this charmed Knicks run, not many public flowers have been tossed Thibodeau’s way from his former team.
    — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Definition of charmed
Verb
  • Even for those of us who, for some unfathomable reason are not fascinated by high fashion history, this is an incredibly entertaining watch.
    — Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Wuest was also fascinated by the themes explored by the film, and couldn’t help but notice parallels to our current moment.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of fascinated
Adjective
  • And, because some questions simply insist upon being asked, what sort of planning permission is required to construct a palace in the middle of an enchanted forest?
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Guests can enjoy cocktails, connect with the LGBTQ+ community and celebrate in an enchanted garden setting.
    — Evan Moore August 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of enchanted
Verb
  • Kristin Chenoweth’s performance as Glinda mesmerized the teen actress, as did entire spectacle.
    — Dan Kelly August 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Like much of America, he was mesmerized by the news of the horrific beating, robbery and eventual death in 1998 of Matthew Shepard, a gay university student attacked and left for dead by two young men near Laramie, Wyo.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of mesmerized
Adjective
  • Later in the episode, Big Bang‘s Wil Wheaton shows up to reveal to Stuart that Bernadette is in fact a demon and is killed by Bert (Posehn) in a magic power duel.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Considering that her designs—from the quirky and unmistakable totem collars to magic floating orbs and funky-fine rings—look like nothing else and immediately spark joy, Ashley Moubayed is keeping disco very much alive.
    — Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of magic
Adjective
  • That’s the first sign that in this universe, Bert really is a wizard with magical powers.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The final batch continues to focus on the generations of the Buendía family living amid political infighting in Macondo while building up to the magical-realist masterpiece’s tragic end.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of magical

Browse Nearby Words

spellbinds
spellbound
spelled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spellbound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spellbound. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on spellbound

Nglish: Translation of spellbound for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gnomic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All