Meaning & use
being smitten
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Meanings
phrase
The state of being suddenly and strongly attracted to someone, as if in love.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; 'smitten' acts like an adjective, often followed by 'with' or 'by'.
Patterns
- being smitten with someone
- being smitten by someone
- being completely smitten
He couldn't hide being smitten with her.
Being smitten at first sight sounds romantic, but it can be confusing.
She admitted to being smitten by the charming stranger.
phraseliterary
The state of being strongly affected or overcome by something, such as an idea or a feeling.
Grammar: Often followed by 'with' or 'by' and used in more literary or formal writing.
Patterns
- being smitten with an idea
- being smitten by a desire
The whole town seemed to be smitten with the idea of a new park.
He was smitten by a sudden desire to travel.
Common combinations
- completely smitten
- After their first date, he was completely smitten.
- smitten with someone
- She's smitten with the new guy in her class.
- smitten by someone's charm
- He was smitten by her charm.
Synonyms and how they differ
- infatuated
- Similar, but 'infatuated' often suggests a temporary, unrealistic attraction, while 'smitten' can be more positive and enduring.
- captivated
- More general; it can mean attracted by anything interesting, not just romantic love.
Opposites
Word family
- smite verb
- To hit hard or attack; now mostly literary or biblical.
Commonly confused: being smitten or smitten?
being smitten vs smitten
Not to be confused with 'smitten' as the past participle of 'smite' (to hit). The romantic meaning is far more common today.
Practice
Fill in the blank: 'After meeting her, he was completely ______.'
Choose one answer.
'Smitten' is the adjective form used after 'be' to mean in love. 'Smiting' is the active -ing form, 'smite' is the base verb, and 'smites' is third-person singular; none fit this adjective slot.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “being smitten”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.