fascinated
fascinated — adjective
1. showing or feeling a very strong curiosity about someone or something, so that y
showing or feeling a very strong curiosity about someone or something, so that you give them your full attention
The children watched the magician with fascinated expressions, not wanting to blink.
attributive use: fascinated + noun (fascinated expressions)
Amara gave a fascinated account of her journey through the desert.
During the biology lecture, Diego sat completely fascinated by every word the professor said.
Linh listened with a fascinated smile as Grandmother told old family stories.
Even as an adult, Theo remains fascinated by how aeroplanes stay in the sky.
- captivated
warmer tone, suggests being charmed or delighted by something
- absorbed
quieter, more mental — suggests deep focus on an activity or idea
- spellbound
stronger, implies a near-magical power over the senses
- bored
showing no interest or attention at all
- indifferent
not caring either way, lacking curiosity
文法句型
be fascinated by [noun/noun phrase]
fascinated + noun
常見錯誤
fascinated — verb
1. to capture and keep someone's full attention by being very interesting, unusual,
to capture and keep someone's full attention by being very interesting, unusual, or beautiful
The documentary about ocean life fascinated viewers around the world with its rare footage.
fascinate + [direct object] + with [something]
What fascinated young Omar most was the way ants built their underground tunnels.
What fascinates [someone] most is…
The museum's collection of Viking artefacts fascinated everyone who visited that summer.
Clara's unusual way of solving problems fascinated her maths teacher deeply.
The old black-and-white photographs fascinated Soo-jin, showing streets she had never seen before.
文法句型
fascinate [someone]
be fascinated by [someone/something]
用法筆記
This sense is most often used in the passive form: 'be fascinated by/with [cause]'. The active form (e.g. 'The story fascinates him') also occurs but is less frequent in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
2. to be so delightful, charming, or appealing that people find it hard to resist o
to be so delightful, charming, or appealing that people find it hard to resist or look away
The idea of living on a houseboat fascinates in a way that luxury never could.
The quiet pace of village life fascinates without ever demanding attention.
intransitive use: [something] fascinates
The thought of working with rescued animals fascinates and inspires in equal measure.
There is something about old lighthouses that fascinates no matter how often you visit.
- repel
to cause a feeling of strong dislike or aversion
文法句型
[something] fascinates — used without a direct object
用法筆記
This intransitive sense focuses on the quality of the thing itself — its power to attract — rather than on someone directing attention towards it. It is less common than the transitive sense (sense 1).