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Definition of fascination noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

fascination

noun
 
/ˌfæsɪˈneɪʃn/
 
/ˌfæsɪˈneɪʃn/
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  1. [countable, usually singular] a very strong attraction, that makes something very interesting
    • London has a fascination all of its own.
    • The fascination of the game lies in trying to guess what your opponent is thinking.
    • fascination for somebody Water holds a fascination for most children.
    Extra Examples
    • His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.
    • Seeing over a thousand species of fish is part of the fascination of the reef.
    • These exotic plants exert a fascination all of their own.
    Topics Feelingsc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • deep
    • great
    • particular
    verb + fascination
    • have
    • hold
    • develop
    preposition
    • in fascination
    • with fascination
    • fascination for
    phrases
    • part of the fascination
    • a source of fascination for somebody
    • a source of fascination to somebody
    See full entry
  2. [uncountable, singular] the state of being very attracted to and interested in somebody/something
    • in fascination The girls listened in fascination as the story unfolded.
    • They stared in horrified fascination as the snake approached.
    • fascination with somebody/something the public’s enduring fascination with the Royal Family
    • fascination for somebody/something (informal) She shared his fascination for motorbikes.
    You usually have a fascination with something you are very interested in; something interesting holds a fascination for you. In informal language, the preposition for is sometimes used in both meanings, but it is better to keep the difference between them in careful writing.
    Extra Examples
    • She watched in fascination as the cat pounced on the mouse.
    • He looked on in horrified fascination as the ship drew nearer to the rocks.
    • the public fascination with crime
    • our current fascination with nationalism
    • a morbid fascination with death
    • a lifelong fascination with Baroque music
    • He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.
    • She developed a fascination for these creatures.
    • These two artists share a certain fascination with the human form.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • deep
    • great
    • particular
    verb + fascination
    • have
    • hold
    • develop
    preposition
    • in fascination
    • with fascination
    • fascination for
    phrases
    • part of the fascination
    • a source of fascination for somebody
    • a source of fascination to somebody
    See full entry
See fascination in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee fascination in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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