fascinating

1 of 2

adjective

fas·​ci·​nat·​ing ˈfa-sə-ˌnā-tiŋ 

ˈfas-ˌnā-tiŋ

: extremely interesting or charming : captivating

a fascinating documentary

gave a fascinating account of the expedition

fascinatingly

ˈfa-sə-ˌnā-tiŋ-lē 

ˈfas-ˌnā-tiŋ-

adverb

fascinating

2 of 2

present participle of fascinate

Synonyms of fascinating

Adjective

• appealing
• charismatic
• attractive
• charming
• interesting
• enchanting
• seductive

Examples of fascinating in a Sentence

Adjective

the fascinating cities and peoples of central Asia have been intriguing travelers at least since the time of Marco Polo

the fascinating—but dubious—legend that Pocahontas rescued John Smith from certain death

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The accident, by contrast, gives autofiction a fascinating physical dimension. — Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

Read on for a fascinating interview with the woman who wrote the book on vaccine hesitancy, and new research on stopping Alzheimer’s disease. — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 29 Sep. 2026

Darryl’s ex-wife, Erika McCauley, is one of the doc’s most fascinating characters. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026

The early menu structure was fascinating, with ingredients categorized by their preparation, centered around meats and vegetables organized by their preparation (roasted, braised, sautéed) and meant to be mixed and matched a la carte. — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see fascinate

First Known Use

Adjective

1618, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fascinating

• abdicating
• abrogating
• activating
• actuating
• advocating
• aggravating
• aggregating
• agitating
• allocating
• alternating
• animating
• annotating

Kids Definition

fascinating

adjective

fas·​ci·​nat·​ing

ˈfas-ə-ˌnāt-iŋ

: extremely interesting or charming

fascinatingly adverb