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Meaning & use

hypnotic

adjective, noun·Advanced

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UK/hɪpˈnɒt.ɪk/
US/hɪpˈnɑː.t̬ɪk/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Making you feel sleepy or as if you are in a trance.

    Grammar: Can be used before a noun or after a linking verb; comparative 'more hypnotic' is common.

    Patterns

    • hypnotic effect
    • hypnotic rhythm
    • feel hypnotic

    The gentle rocking of the boat had a hypnotic effect.

    His voice was so hypnotic that I almost fell asleep.

    The music was slow and hypnotic.

  2. adjectivecomparablefigurative

    So interesting or attractive that you cannot stop paying attention.

    Grammar: Often used before a noun; describes a fascinating, almost spellbinding quality.

    Patterns

    • hypnotic beauty
    • hypnotic gaze
    • hypnotic performance

    She had a hypnotic gaze that held everyone's attention.

    The dancer's performance was hypnotic.

    The film's hypnotic images stayed with me for days.

  3. nouncountablemedicalformal

    A drug that makes you sleep.

    Grammar: Countable; often used in medical or formal contexts.

    Patterns

    • take a hypnotic
    • prescribe a hypnotic
    • a powerful hypnotic

    The doctor prescribed a mild hypnotic for her insomnia.

    Hypnotics should be used only for short periods.

    He was given a hypnotic to help him rest.

Word forms

comparativemore hypnotic
superlativemost hypnotic
pluralhypnotics

Common combinations

hypnotic effect
The drug had a strong hypnotic effect.
hypnotic rhythm
The drumming created a hypnotic rhythm.
hypnotic suggestion
Under hypnosis, she responded to a hypnotic suggestion.
hypnotic state
He entered a hypnotic state during the session.

Synonyms and how they differ

soporific
Soporific means making you sleepy, often used for things that are boring; hypnotic can also mean fascinating or trance-like.
mesmerizing
Mesmerizing means completely holding your attention, similar to the figurative sense of hypnotic, but it does not mean sleep-inducing.
sedative
Sedative is a noun or adjective for a calming drug; hypnotic as a noun specifically induces sleep.

Opposites

stimulatinginvigorating

Word family

hypnosis noun
A trance-like state in which a person is highly suggestible.
hypnotize verb
To put someone into a hypnotic state.
hypnotically adverb
In a way that is hypnotic.
hypnotism noun
The practice of inducing hypnosis.

Commonly confused: hypnotic or hypnotizing? hypnotic or narcotic?

hypnotic vs hypnotizing

Hypnotizing is the present participle of the verb; as an adjective it often means the same as hypnotic, but it can also mean 'putting into a trance' literally.

hypnotic vs narcotic

Narcotic refers to a drug that dulls pain and can cause sleep, but it is often associated with illegal drugs; hypnotic is more specific to sleep induction.

Practice

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