ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hypnotic

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //hɪpˈnɑtɪk// UK //hɪpnˈɒtɪk// hyp·not·ic Archaic

adj. describing something that holds your attention so much that you cannot look away. It often feels like it is putting you into a calm, sleepy state.

adj. tending to produce sleep or a trance-like state; possessing a quality that captures and holds the attention completely. Often used to describe repetitive sounds, movements, or visual patterns.


SIMPLE

The dancer's movements were slow and hypnotic.

CONTEXTUAL

The steady, rhythmic sound of the rain on the roof had a hypnotic effect on the tired travelers.

COMPLEX

The film's long, unbroken shots and ambient soundtrack create a hypnotic atmosphere that draws the viewer into a state of deep contemplation.

Synonyms
Origin

From French hypnotique (“inclined to sleep, soporific”), from Late Latin hypnoticus, from Ancient Greek ὑπνωτικός (hupnōtikós, “inclined to sleep, putting to sleep, sleepy”), from ὑπνοῦν (hupnoûn, “to put to sleep”), from ὕπνος (húpnos, “sleep”).

Usage

Commonly used both attributively before a noun and predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'feel', or 'become'.

© 2026 English Reference