Hypnotizing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Producing a trance-like condition in which a person is highly suggestible ; attracting and holding someone’s full attention by charm or fascination
2. Inducing a state resembling sleep where the mind is unusually open to suggestion ; grabbing and maintaining interest through compelling qualities
3. Bringing about an altered state of consciousness marked by focus and heightened responsiveness ; captivating someone in a way that absorbs their focus

Etymology: Hypnotizing is the American spelling of "hypnotising," the form of the verb "hypnotize" used while someone is inducing a trance. The verb comes from "hypnotize," which was built on "hypnosis," itself coined from the Greek "hypnos," meaning sleep. The word's core idea is therefore a sleep-like state brought about by another person's influence. The spelling difference between the two forms reflects a wider divide between American and British usage, where the "-ize" ending is common in the United States and "-ise" is standard in Britain. Both spellings describe exactly the same action, so the choice has no bearing on meaning.

Synonyms: mesmerizing, captivating, spellbinding

Antonyms: boring, uninteresting