exercise a fascination

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "exercise a fascination" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing the act of actively engaging with or indulging in something that captivates one's interest or curiosity. Example: "The documentary managed to exercise a fascination for the ancient civilizations that once thrived in the region."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Across the Atlantic, however, a small band of A-list stars have continued to exercise a fascination upon the world.

Independent

They all, anyway, crossed state boundaries in their work, and exercise a fascination throughout the English-speaking world.

The Guardian - Books

In 2014, Pope Francis continued to exercise a fascination for members of his Catholic flock and for the rest of the world.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Fundamentalism is something new, that exercises a fascination on disenfranchised French youth in general – not on Muslims in general.

The Guardian - Opinion

It begins with a breast, a left breast, one that exercises a fascination on the teenage Toni Bentley that she makes sense of only years later, as a Balanchine dancer in Paris.

The New York Times - Books

Their royal aura exercises a fascination that the potential risks surrounding the acquisition of the debris of one of the world's artistic monuments fail to quell — the legitimacy of ownership may one day be challenged in the court of world opinion.

The New York Times - Arts

This famous chapter has exercised a fascination on philosophers thinking about ourselves and has been, perhaps, as much discussed as any piece of philosophical argument that Strawson wrote.

SEP

For all these decades, the work the Locos did and continue to do has exercised a fascination on artists in LA and around the world; artists who were once skeptical of the dominance of pop and conceptualism in LA's official art-world record, and are now skeptical of the inaccessible marketplace.

Huffington Post

It was to exercise a strong fascination, particularly over artists and poets, in the following hundred years.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The "demonic" character of the opera has caused it to exercise a special fascination for audiences, and it has given rise to a large critical, interpretative, and sometimes purely fanciful literature.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Is it the spectacular and dramatic nature of war that exercises such a fascination on our collective and individual imagination?

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "exercise a fascination" when you want to describe something that actively engages and maintains interest, particularly over a period of time or across different contexts. For example, "The study of ancient languages continues to "exercise a fascination" for many scholars."

Common error

Be mindful of the intensity of interest you're conveying. While "fascination" suggests a strong interest or captivation, "obsession" implies an excessive and often unhealthy preoccupation. Using "obsession" instead of "fascination" can drastically change the tone and meaning of your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exercise a fascination" functions as a verbal phrase, where "exercise" acts as a verb indicating the act of exerting or displaying a particular quality—in this case, "fascination". This aligns with the examples provided, where various subjects actively demonstrate or evoke interest. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness and usability of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

66.66%

Encyclopedias

16.66%

Science

16.66%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "exercise a fascination" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that signifies something captivating or intriguing. Ludwig AI confirms this. While it's not extremely common, appearing mostly in News & Media sources, it serves to describe the act of actively maintaining or exerting a captivating quality. When writing, it's important to ensure you are appropriately conveying a captivation, rather than an obsession. Alternatives such as "hold a fascination" or "inspire fascination" can be used for slight variations in meaning, depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hold a fascination

This alternative directly replaces "exercise" with "hold", keeping a similar structure and implying something maintains a captivating quality.

exert a fascination

This alternative uses "exert" instead of "exercise", suggesting a more forceful or active influence in captivating interest.

arouse a fascination

This alternative implies the act of stimulating or awakening interest.

inspire fascination

This emphasizes the act of influencing someone to feel fascination.

possess a captivating quality

This alternative changes the structure to highlight the inherent attractiveness or allure of something.

evoke a sense of wonder

This focuses on the feeling of awe and amazement that the subject inspires.

command attention

This alternative emphasizes the ability to attract and hold someone's focus.

be of great interest

This is a more straightforward and less figurative way of expressing that something is captivating.

attract intense interest

This highlights the drawing power of a subject, causing significant attention.

prove captivating

This alternative focuses on the effect of captivating or charming someone.

FAQs

How can I use "exercise a fascination" in a sentence?

You can use "exercise a fascination" to describe something that continues to captivate or intrigue. For example, "The mysteries of the deep sea continue to "exercise a fascination" for explorers and scientists alike."

What are some alternatives to "exercise a fascination"?

Alternatives include "hold a fascination", "exert a fascination", or "inspire fascination". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more formal to say "exercise a fascination" or "have a fascination"?

"Exercise a fascination" tends to be slightly more formal than "have a fascination". The former suggests a more active or sustained engagement with the subject of interest.

What does it mean to say something "exercises a fascination"?

When something "exercises a fascination", it means that it possesses qualities that consistently attract and hold someone's attention or interest. It suggests that the subject is perennially captivating.