Charming — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun verb /ˈchär-miŋ/ charm·ing

Meaning & Definition of Charming

Charming (adjective)

  1. extremely pleasing or delightful, entrancing

Charming (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having an often mysterious or magical power to attract

    "a charming man who had no problem winning women's hearts"

    similar: alluring, appealing, attractive, bewitching, captivating, charismatic, elfin, enchanting, engaging, entrancing, fascinating, fetching, glamorous, luring, magnetic, seductive
    related: absorbing, arresting, engrossing, enthralling, galvanic, gripping, hypnotic, hypnotizing, mesmerizing, riveting, spellbinding, enticing, tantalizing, tempting, exciting, haunting, interesting, intriguing, titillating, beckoning, inviting, winning, darling, delightful, pleasant, pleasing
    opposite: repellent, repelling, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, unalluring
    near: boring, irksome, tedious, tiresome, wearisome, abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, distasteful, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, invidious, loathsome, nauseating, noisome, obnoxious, odious, offensive, shocking, sickening, drab, dreary, dull, flat, humdrum, jading, leaden, monotonous, pedestrian, ponderous

Charming (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in seduction, wooing

    similar: courting, massaging, romancing, seduction, tempting, wooing, acclaim, applause, commendation, praise, influencing, prompting, swaying, ingratiation, smarm, lobbying, pressuring, buttering up, fawning, sycophancy, toadying, brainwashing, overpersuasion, allurement, beguilement, endearment, enticement, conversion, convincing, inducement, inducing, persuading, persuasion, suasion, adulation, blarney, butter, charm, flannel (British), flattery, incense, overpraise, soft soap, sweet talk, taffy
    opposite: bad-mouthing, belittlement, depreciation, detraction, disparagement, put-down

Charming (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to attract or delight as if by magic

    "a quaint seaside village that charms all who visit it"

    similar: alluring, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, enchanting, fascinating, killing, magnetizing, wiling, witching (archaic)
    related: disarming, drawing, enticing, luring, pulling, seducing, tempting, delighting, gratifying, pleasing, arresting, enrapturing, enthralling, entrancing, appealing (to), interesting, intriguing, beckoning, courting, inviting, soliciting, wooing
    near: disgusting, offending, repelling, revolting, annoying, displeasing, irking, boring, tiring, wearying

  2. to cast a spell on

    "in one version of the tale, it is a vengeful fairy who charms Sleeping Beauty so that she falls into a sleep for a hundred years"

    similar: bewitching, enchanting, ensorcelling, hexing, overlooking, spelling, striking
    related: cursing, jinxing, possessing, voodooing, attracting, beguiling, captivating, fascinating, mesmerizing, spellbinding, enticing, luring, seducing, tempting
    near: blessing

Related Entry: Charm (verb)

Charm is a different word from Charming. The synonyms below are for charm, not for charming.

  1. to attract or delight as if by magic

    "a quaint seaside village that charms all who visit it"

    similar: allure, beguile, bewitch, captivate, enchant, fascinate, kill, magnetize, wile, witch (archaic)
    related: disarm, draw, entice, lure, pull, seduce, tempt, delight, gratify, please, arrest, enrapture, enthrall, entrance, appeal (to), interest, intrigue, beckon, court, invite, solicit, woo
    near: disgust, offend, repel, revolt, annoy, displease, irk, bore, tire, weary

  2. to cast a spell on

    "in one version of the tale, it is a vengeful fairy who charms Sleeping Beauty so that she falls into a sleep for a hundred years"

    similar: bewitch, enchant, ensorcell, hex, overlook, spell, strike
    related: curse, jinx, possess, voodoo, attract, beguile, captivate, fascinate, mesmerize, spellbind, entice, lure, seduce, tempt
    near: bless

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Charming

The most common words with a similar meaning to Charming:

British: flannel
Archaic: witching
alluring, appealing, attractive, bewitching, captivating, charismatic, elfin, enchanting, engaging, entrancing, fascinating, fetching, glamorous, luring, magnetic, seductive, courting, massaging, romancing, seduction, tempting, wooing, acclaim, applause, commendation, praise, influencing, prompting, swaying, ingratiation, smarm, lobbying, pressuring, buttering up, fawning, sycophancy, toadying, brainwashing, overpersuasion, allurement

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Charming

Words with the opposite meaning of Charming:

repellent, repelling, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, unalluring, bad-mouthing, belittlement, depreciation, detraction, disparagement, put-down

Related Words for Charming

absorbing, arresting, engrossing, enthralling, galvanic, gripping, hypnotic, hypnotizing, mesmerizing, riveting, spellbinding, enticing, tantalizing, exciting, haunting, interesting, intriguing, titillating, beckoning, inviting, winning, darling, delightful, pleasant, pleasing, disarming, drawing, pulling, seducing, delighting

Near Antonyms of Charming

boring, irksome, tedious, tiresome, wearisome, abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, distasteful, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, invidious, loathsome, nauseating, noisome, obnoxious, odious, offensive, shocking, sickening, drab, dreary, dull, flat, humdrum, jading, leaden

Word Forms of Charming

Derived words: charmingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Charming

from present participle of charm:2

First known use: 1664

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Charming

Words & Phrases Containing Charming

Prince Charming

Frequently Asked Questions about Charming

What does "Charming" mean?

"Charming" means extremely pleasing or delightful, entrancing. As an an adjective, a noun and a verb, it is defined as: extremely pleasing or delightful, entrancing. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Charming"?

Other words for "Charming" include alluring, appealing, attractive, bewitching, captivating, charismatic, elfin and enchanting. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Charming" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Charming"?

There are 110 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Charming". Common alternatives include alluring, appealing, attractive, bewitching, captivating, charismatic, elfin, enchanting, engaging and entrancing.

What is the opposite of "Charming"?

Antonyms of "Charming" include repellent, repelling, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, unalluring, bad-mouthing and belittlement. Near antonyms include boring, irksome, tedious and tiresome.

How do you use "Charming" in a sentence?

Examples of "Charming" in a sentence: "a charming man who had no problem winning women's hearts"; "a quaint seaside village that charms all who visit it"; "in one version of the tale, it is a vengeful fairy who charms Sleeping Beauty so that she falls into a sleep for a hundred years".

Is "Charming" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Charming" can be used as an adjective, a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Charming" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Charming" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Charming"?

"Charming" is pronounced /ˈchär-miŋ/ and divided into syllables as charm·ing.