rapt
adjective

- completely fascinated or absorbed by what one is seeing or hearing

- if someone watches or listens with rapt attention, they are extremely interested or fascinated

Oxford Languages / Collins Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

The word "rapt" comes from the Latin raptus, which is the past participle of the verb rapere which means "to seize, carry off, or snatch away".

In the late 14th century, "rapt" took on a figurative meaning, suggesting being "carried away" by something that holds your attention completely. This sense of being transported or engrossed is what we use "rapt" for today, which is the root of the word “rapture” (Entzückung, Verzückung).

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HOW HEADLINES GET US RAPT!

Here are 9 common linguistic tactics (with examples) used by marketers to make us click:

1.  X Things You (“5 Things You should Say When Asking for a Raise!”)

2. You Won’t Believe (“The Nuns Who Bought and Sold Human Beings!”)

3. What They Don’t Want You To Know  (“What Most Doctors Won’t Tell You About Dieting!”)

4. This Is What / Why / How (“This is What to Do if You’re Threatened in the Street!”)

5. Best of the year (“Here are the 10 Funniest Jokes of 2023!”)

6. Did You Know ("Did You Know That 9 People Out of 10 Don’t Know How to Swallow Food?”)

7. The Last You’ll Ever Need  (“The Last Keep Warm Winter Jacket You’ll Ever Need!”)

8. Famous person endorsement  (“Einstein’s Secret Memory Trick!”)

9. Headline Ending  (“How to Use the Exclamation Mark!”)

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SYNONYMS

absorbed, all ears, captivated, enthralled, engrossed, enraptured, fascinated, glued, hanging on every word, held spellbound, immersed, in thrall, lost in, mesmerized, RAPT, spellbound, swept away, transported

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

”The cinema audience watched Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer with RAPT attention.“

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