captivated by you

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   So strongly attracted and interested in you that I can think of nothing else.

   Grammar: Used after the verb be: I am captivated by you. The phrase names the person who causes the feeling.

   Patterns

   • be captivated by someone
   • be completely captivated by someone
   • be captivated by someone's smile

   After one evening together he told her, "I'm captivated by you."

   The singer repeats "captivated by you" again and again in the chorus.

   She wrote in her diary that she was utterly captivated by you and could not sleep.

2. 2phrasefixed phraseliteraryrare

   Held prisoner or completely controlled by you, used about a person or an army.

   Grammar: A passive structure with by: the captives were captivated by the soldiers. This older, more literal use is rare today.

   Patterns

   • be captivated by an army
   • be captivated by a ruler

   In the old story the villagers were captivated by the invading soldiers.

   The chronicle says the whole town was captivated by the king's men for three winters.

Common combinations

completely captivated by you

He was completely captivated by you from the first dance.

utterly captivated by you

She seemed utterly captivated by you during the whole dinner.

captivated by your beauty

The poem says the speaker is captivated by your beauty.

captivated by your smile

I have been captivated by your smile since we met.

captivated by your voice

Half the audience was captivated by your voice.

captivated by your charm

He admitted he was captivated by your charm.

Synonyms and how they differ

charmed by you

Weaker and more polite; it suggests pleasant delight rather than the intense, almost helpless attraction of captivated.

fascinated by you

Focuses on curiosity and interest in your mind or ideas, not mainly on romantic attraction.

infatuated with you

Stronger and often critical; it suggests a foolish or short-lived passion, while captivated can sound admiring.

Opposites

Word family

captivate verb

to attract and hold someone's attention or love completely

captivating adjective

so attractive or interesting that you cannot look away

captivation noun

the state of being charmed or held by someone or something

captive noun

a person or animal kept as a prisoner

Commonly confused: captivated by you or captured by you?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “captivated by you”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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