What does hypnotized mean?
Hypnotized means being placed or becoming subject to hypnosis, a state of focused attention in which voluntary control may be limited or temporarily suspended. It is the past tense and past participle of the verb “hypnotize” and can also function as a participial adjective. The word also has a familiar figurative use for someone who is completely captivated by a performance, spectacle, story, or person. In that sense, it suggests an almost involuntary absorption that excludes everything else from immediate attention. Although ordinary use of “hypnotized” often implies a dramatic or trance-like condition, hypnosis varies in depth, and a person under hypnosis may remain aware of their surroundings and able to reject suggestions. The word combines the ancient Greek roots for “sleep” and “enchant,” reflecting both its medical history and its enduring metaphorical associations with fascination and control.
To put someone into a state of altered attention or suggestion resembling sleep.
"The therapist hypnotized the patient before beginning the session."
Often used figuratively to mean to captivate someone's attention completely.
Affected by hypnosis or, figuratively, completely engrossed.
"The hypnotized subject followed the performer's instructions without moving."
Usually appears as the past participle of “hypnotize”; in figurative use it denotes intense absorption or fascination.
The word combines the Greek words for “sleep” and “to enchant,” a fitting name for a state in which conscious control seems to slip away.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hypnotized come from?
The word comes from English “hypnotize,” which was formed in the early 19th century from Greek hypnos, meaning “sleep,” and hynagnia, meaning “to enchant” or “to invoke sleep.” Its earlier English form was “hypnotise,” with the spelling “hypnotize” becoming standard in the United States. The same Greek elements appear in related words such as “hypnotic,” “hypnosis,” and “hypnotist.”
Related word forms
How hypnotized is actually used
In formal or technical contexts, the word refers to an altered state of attention or suggestion. In everyday figurative use, it describes intense fascination, as in “hypnotized by the performance.”