Meaning & use
enthralled
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“enthralled” is a form of “enthral”.
Meaning
adjectiveafter a verb
So fascinated by something that it holds all of your attention.
Grammar: Follows a linking verb, usually with 'by' or 'with'; it is not used before a noun in everyday English.
Patterns
- enthralled by something
- enthralled with something
- enthralled to see/hear something
The children were enthralled by the puppet show and sat completely still.
She was enthralled with the old letters she had found in the attic.
Common combinations
- utterly/completely enthralled
- The audience was utterly enthralled from the first scene to the last.
- enthralled by a story/book
- He grew up enthralled by adventure stories of the sea.
- sit/stand enthralled
- We stood enthralled in front of the painting for nearly an hour.
Synonyms and how they differ
- captivated
- Very close in meaning; suggests being caught up by charm, and is slightly less literary.
- fascinated
- Suggests strong intellectual interest; the grip on attention is weaker than 'enthralled'.
- mesmerized
- Suggests being held as if by a spell, often by movement or sound.
- spellbound
- Literary; held silent and motionless by wonder or suspense.
Opposites
Word family
- enthral verb
- To hold someone's complete attention; also spelled enthrall in American English.
- enthralling adjective
- So interesting that it holds the attention completely.
- thrall noun
- Power over someone; literary, as in 'in thrall to'.
Commonly confused: enthralled or thrilled?
enthralled vs thrilled
'Thrilled' means extremely excited or pleased; 'enthralled' means gripped by fascination, which can happen even during frightening or sad moments.
Practice
Choose the correct form: 'The audience sat ___ as the magician performed his final trick.'
Choose one answer.
The audience are the ones gripped by fascination, so the -ed adjective 'enthralled' is correct; 'enthralling' would describe the magician or the trick. 'Enthral' is a verb and 'thrall' a noun, so they cannot fill this slot.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “enthralled”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.