Enthrall

//ɪnˈθɹɔːl// verb

verb ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To enslave; to subjugate. literally, literary, transitive
  2. 2
    hold spellbound wordnet
  3. 3
    To hold spellbound. figuratively, transitive

    "Fancy, Jim, to be in love and play Juliet! To have him sitting there! To play for his delight! I am afraid I may frighten the company, frighten or enthrall them."

  4. 4
    To make subservient. archaic, figuratively, transitive

    "[…] Who oft as undeservedly enthrall / His outward freedom: Tyranny must be;"

Synonyms

All synonyms
bewitchenchantenchantenslaveabsorbabsorb the attention

Example

More examples

""'Once had your hands,' said Calchas, 'dared profane / Minerva's gift, dire plagues' (which Heaven forestall / or turn on him) 'should Priam's realm sustain; / but if by Trojan aid it scaled your wall, / proud Asia then should Pelops' sons enthrall, / and children rue the folly of the sire.'""

Etymology

From Middle English enthrallen. By surface analysis, en- + thrall.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.