cativar

Senses

1. 1.

   to captivate, to charm

   to attract and hold someone's interest or affection

2. 2.

   to win over, to gain

   to gain someone's trust, respect, or loyalty

3. 3.

   to enslave, to capture

   to take someone as a captive or slave (archaic/historical sense)

Examples

• "Ela cativou a plateia com sua voz encantadora."

  She captivated the audience with her enchanting voice.

• "O professor conseguiu cativar os alunos logo na primeira aula."

  The teacher managed to win over the students right in the first class.

• "Seu carisma natural cativa todos ao seu redor."

  His natural charisma charms everyone around him.

Usage

Common in both formal and informal registers. Frequently used with direct objects referring to people (cativar o público, cativar os clientes). The historical meaning of "to enslave" is rarely used in modern Brazilian Portuguese, where the verb primarily means "to charm" or "to win over."