mesmerize

/ˈmezməraɪz/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmezməraɪz/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmez-mə-ˌrīz also ˈmes-/ (ame, mw)

mesmerize — verb

  • mesmerizepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • mesmerizeshe / she / it
  • mesmerizedpast simple
  • mesmerizing-ing form

1. to fascinate someone so deeply that they keep watching or listening and forget a

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to fascinate someone so deeply that they keep watching or listening and forget about everything happening around them.

例句

Beatrix sat on the harbour wall, mesmerized by the seals diving for fish.

passive: be mesmerized by + [scene/activity]

The street magician mesmerized the lunchtime crowd outside the train station for over an hour.

active: [performer] mesmerizes [audience]

同義詞
  • captivate

    Slightly broader; the captivator can also win affection, not just attention.

  • enthrall

    Stronger emotional pull; suggests delight as well as fixed attention.

  • transfix

    Emphasises being held motionless, often by something surprising or shocking.

反義詞
  • bore

    Opposite reaction — attention drifts away rather than locking on.

文法句型

mesmerize + [person/audience]

be mesmerized by + [thing/event]

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive (`be mesmerized by`) when describing the viewer's experience; the active form is more common when naming the performer or stimulus as subject. Subjects of the active form are usually performers, visual displays, or rhythmic motion.

常見錯誤

❌I mesmerized the painting in the gallery.
✅I was mesmerized by the painting in the gallery.
💡the viewer is the one held by the work, so use the passive.

2. to put a person into a sleep-like state where they will follow instructions; an

2.動詞及物C2
釋義

to put a person into a sleep-like state where they will follow instructions; an older word for `hypnotize`, mostly seen in nineteenth-century stories.

例句

In the Victorian novel, Dr. Christopher claims he can mesmerize patients to ease their toothache without ether.

literary / historical register

The travelling showman boasted that he could mesmerize any volunteer who stepped up onto his small wooden stage.

同義詞
  • hypnotize

    The standard modern word for the same procedure.

  • entrance

    Suggests producing a dreamlike state but without the formal technique.

反義詞
  • wake

    To bring someone out of a trance or sleep-like state.

文法句型

mesmerize + [person]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names a deliberate technique aimed at producing a trance, not a strong reaction to something fascinating. In modern writing, `hypnotize` has replaced it almost everywhere; reserve this sense for period pieces and historical discussion.

常見錯誤

❌My therapist will mesmerize me next week to help me quit smoking.
✅My therapist will hypnotize me next week to help me quit smoking.
💡for present-day clinical contexts, use `hypnotize`; `mesmerize` in this sense is dated.