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cautivar

to captivate

verb kow-tee-BAHR Rare
Mind & Emotions Emotions

Origin: from Latin captivare, 'to take captive'

Also means

to charm

Usage Note

Cautivar carries a sense of holding someone spellbound, as if captured — a stronger, more literary word than atraer ('to attract'). It is transitive: la música me cautivó ('the music captivated me'). The related adjective cautivador/cautivadora ('captivating') is commonly used in reviews or descriptions of performances.

Examples

"Su voz cautivó a todo el público."

Natural Translation

Her voice captivated the entire audience.

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