What does infatuating mean?
Infatuating is an adjective describing someone or something that inspires intense fascination, admiration, or attraction. The word suggests more than ordinary charm: the appeal is powerful, compelling, and often somewhat difficult to resist. It can be used of a person's presence, voice, performance, smile, or way of speaking, as well as of places, objects, and artistic works. Its emotional force sometimes implies that the attraction is temporary or unusually strong, which distinguishes it from the more neutral word appealing. In formal writing, it can convey literary or poetic glamour, while in everyday speech it is often used to describe a particularly captivating person. Infatuating derives from infatuate, itself connected to the Latin idea of making someone foolish, reflecting the traditional association between strong attraction and the surrender of rational judgment.
adjectiveCausing strong admiration or attraction, often to an intense and temporary degree. It can describe a person, place, or thing that captivates others.
- Causing intense admiration, fascination, or attraction, often in a way that seems temporary or difficult to resist.
"The singer gave an infatuating performance that held the audience spellbound."
"Her infatuating personality drew everyone toward her."
"The novel presents an infatuating portrait of life in a small coastal town."
An infatuating attraction can feel as if it has taken over the mind, which is exactly why the word carries a sense of emotional intensity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of infatuating
The word comes from the English verb infatuate, which developed from the Latin infatuare, meaning “to make foolish” or “to make stupid.” The underlying root is connected with fatuus, meaning foolish or silly. Over time, infatuate came to mean “to inspire with an extreme, often irrational affection or attraction,” and the adjective infatuating developed from that sense.
Related word forms
How infatuating is actually used
Usually positive and strongly emotional. It often suggests a fascination that may be irrational, temporary, or excessive, especially when describing a person's feelings or appeal.