encandilar

to dazzle

verb en-kan-dee-LAHR Rare

Also means

to captivate

Usage Note

Encandilar literally means to dazzle the eyes with a bright light, but its dominant modern use is figurative — to captivate or bewitch someone, often with charm or spectacle. It is transitive: me encandilaron sus ojos ('her eyes dazzled me'). It differs from deslumbrar, which stresses overwhelming brightness, by adding a seductive quality.

Examples

"Su actuación encandiló al público."

Natural Translation

His performance dazzled the audience.

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