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Meaning & use

charismatic

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌkærɪzˈmætɪk/
US/ˌkærɪzˈmætɪk/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparableapproving

    Having a strong personal charm that makes others admire you and want to follow you.

    Grammar: Used before a noun or after be: a charismatic leader; he is charismatic.

    Patterns

    • a charismatic leader
    • charismatic and confident

    The charismatic coach inspired the whole team.

    She is so charismatic that strangers listen when she speaks.

    A charismatic speaker held the audience for an hour.

  2. adjectivebefore a nounreligion

    Belonging to a Christian movement that stresses spiritual gifts such as healing and speaking in tongues.

    Grammar: Often capitalized in religious writing: charismatic churches.

    Patterns

    • a charismatic church

    Their charismatic church holds lively services with singing.

    The charismatic movement grew quickly in the 1960s.

    He joined a charismatic congregation in his town.

Word forms

comparativemore charismatic
superlativemost charismatic

Common combinations

charismatic leader
The party chose a charismatic leader.
charismatic personality
He has a charismatic personality that draws crowds.
charismatic speaker
The charismatic speaker had everyone laughing.
charismatic figure
She became a charismatic figure in local politics.
highly charismatic
The actor is highly charismatic on screen.

Synonyms and how they differ

charming
Charming means pleasant and likable, while charismatic implies a stronger pull that makes people follow.
magnetic
Magnetic is a more figurative way to say a person draws attention, and is less tied to leadership.
captivating
Captivating describes the effect of holding attention, not a quality of leading others.
engaging
Engaging is milder and suggests being easy and pleasant to talk to.

Opposites

dulluninspiring

Word family

charisma noun
strong personal charm that attracts others
charismatically adverb
in a charming, inspiring way
charism noun
a spiritual gift in Christian belief

Commonly confused: charismatic or charming?

charismatic vs charming

A charming person is pleasant company, whereas a charismatic person has a stronger influence over crowds.

Practice

The cult leader was so ___ that thousands gave up their jobs to follow him.

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