Dictionary Definition
captivating adj : capturing interest as if by a
spell; "bewitching smile"; "Roosevelt was a captivating speaker";
"enchanting music"; "an enthralling book"; "antique papers of
entrancing design"; "a fascinating woman" [syn: bewitching, enchanting, enthralling, entrancing, fascinating]
User Contributed Dictionary
Extensive Definition
Captivating is a popular and controversial book
in the American/Christian market. Published in 2005 by John
Eldredge and his wife Stasi, it proposes that women have three
core desires: "to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a
great adventure, and to unveil beauty." (Eldredge 8). It also
proposes that God made woman as the "Crown of Creation", an
embodiment of God's beauty, mystery and vulnerability.
The book rejects the idea of an ideal woman and
explores biblical scripture from the view that God desires woman to
embrace her glory, rather than fear her feminity. Captivating is a
companion to Wild
at Heart also by John Eldredge, and argues that its model of
femininity complements men's innate desires for a battle to fight,
an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue.
The authors use scriptural analysis, personal
experience, and interviews with others as their basis for their
argument. The book has received considerable criticism from people
both within and outside of the Christian sphere. Many argue that
the authors' personal experiences add too much bias to a book
intended to address wide human conditions; many cite the authors'
scriptural analyses to be incorrect.
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Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
alluring, appealing, appetizing, attractive, beguiling, bewitching, blandishing, cajoling, catching, charismatic, charming, coaxing, come-hither, coquettish, delightful, drawing, enchanting, engaging, enravishing, enthralling, enticing, entrancing, exciting, exotic, exquisite, fascinating, fetching, flirtatious, glamorous, heart-robbing,
hypnotic, interesting, intriguing, inviting, irresistible, lovely, luxurious, magnetic, mesmeric, mouth-watering,
piquant, prepossessing, provocative, provoquant, ravishing, seducing, seductive, sensuous, siren, sirenic, spellbinding, spellful, taking, tantalizing, teasing, tempting, thrilling, tickling, titillating, titillative, voluptuous, winning, winsome, witching