spellbound
So amazed or interested that you cannot look away.
spellbound in a sentence
- The children sat spellbound as the storyteller lowered her voice for the final twist.
- The audience sat spellbound as the acrobat crossed the high wire, unable to look away.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to spellbound?
- Agripped
- Bbored
- Csleepy
- Drestless
Show the answer
A: gripped. The other three mean the opposite of spellbound.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to spellbound?
- Acharmed
- Bgripped
- Cbored
- Damazed
Show the answer
C: bored. The other three mean nearly the same as spellbound.
Words that mean something similar
gripped, amazed, charmed
Words that mean the opposite
bored, sleepy, restless
More words about emotions & feelings
- subdued: Quieter and less lively than usual.
- sullen: Silent and bad-tempered, refusing to be cheerful.
- tantalise: To tease someone by showing them something they want but cannot have.
- temptation: A strong wish to do something, especially something you know you shouldn't.
- tender: Gentle, loving and soft.
- torment: To cause a person or animal great suffering or annoyance, often again and again.
- trepidation: A nervous, fearful feeling about something that is going to happen.
- triumph: A great victory or success.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test