Mezmerize

Mezmerize means to captivate, entrance, or fascinate someone completely, as if under a spell. It implies a powerful and often hypnotic effect that holds the attention and imagination of the person being mesmerized. The term is derived from the name of Franz Mesmer, an 18th-century German physician who practiced what he called "animal magnetism," a form of hypnosis he believed could cure illness. While Mesmer's theories were ultimately discredited scientifically, the word "mesmerize" endured, evolving to describe any form of intense fascination or enthrallment. It suggests a loss of self-awareness in the face of something powerfully compelling. The effect can be achieved through beauty, skill, authority, or even deception.