# spellbound

/ˈspɛɫˌbaʊnd/ (US) · /spˈɛlbaʊnd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/spellbound
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Definition

so interested in something that you cannot look away or stop listening. You feel as if a magic spell is holding your attention.

For teachers: held in complete, fascinated attention, as if by enchantment. Describes being entirely absorbed by what one sees or hears.

## Examples

- The children sit spellbound during the story.
- The whole class stays spellbound as the teacher describes the volcano eruption in vivid detail.
- The audience remains spellbound long after the final note fades, unwilling to break the silence that holds the darkened hall together.

## Synonyms

fascinated, captivated, enthralled, entranced, mesmerized, absorbed

## Antonyms

bored, uninterested

## Usage notes

- Often used predicatively after linking verbs such as 'sit', 'stand', or 'remain'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.