How to pronounce captivate
Say it like KAP-tuh-vayt. Captivate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAP).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce captivate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KAP
- tuh
- vayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Captivate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KAPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- tuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- vaytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of captivate
American and British speakers say captivate in essentially the same way: /ˈkæptəˌveɪt/ in the US and /ˈkæptɪveɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: KAP-tih-vayt.
What does captivate mean?
- To attract and hold (someone's) attention and interest; to charm, to entrance, to fascinate, to enchain.
Where does captivate come from?
Learned borrowing from Late Latin captīvātus, the perfect passive participle of captīvō (“to capture”), from Latin captīvus (“captive, prisoner”) (ultimately from capiō (“to capture, seize”), from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“to hold; to sei
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying captivate
How do you pronounce captivate?
Say KAP-tuh-vayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈkæptəˌveɪt/. In British English it is /ˈkæptɪveɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in captivate?
Captivate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAP). Broken into parts: KAP · tuh · vayt.
Do Americans and Brits say captivate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈkæptəˌveɪt/ and the British form is /ˈkæptɪveɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.