attract

verb

at·​tract ə-ˈtrakt How to pronounce attract (audio)
attracted; attracting; attracts

transitive verb

: to cause to approach or adhere: such as
a
: to pull to or draw toward oneself or itself
A magnet attracts iron.
b
: to draw by appeal to natural or excited interest, emotion, or aesthetic sense : entice
attract attention
The museum attracts visitors.

intransitive verb

: to exercise attraction
Opposites attract.
attractor noun
Choose the Right Synonym for attract

attract, allure, charm, captivate, fascinate, enchant mean to draw another by exerting a powerful influence.

attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response

charmed by their hospitality

, but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

her performances captivated audiences

fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

enchant is perhaps the strongest of these terms in stressing the appeal of the agent and the degree of delight evoked in the subject.

hopelessly enchanted by her beauty

Examples of attract in a Sentence

The company has a difficult time attracting good employees because of its poor pay and benefits. The chance to travel around the world attracted me to a career as a flight attendant. The museum attracts visitors from all over the world. The scent will attract certain insects. Certain insects are attracted by the scent. Her bright blue eyes attracted me. The bird's colorful feathers are used to attract a mate.
Recent Examples on the Web As the conflict heats up, Adam’s return to the neighborhood attracts notice — not least from Eli, whose anger is already spiraling amidst strife with his perpetually on-again, off-again girlfriend, Lori (Savannah Steyn). Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 The show has attracted young audiences, and the characters’ outfits have spurred a viral trend of women dressing like mob wives. Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Trump has thus far struggled to attract large donors to his 2024 bid, with many of them sitting on the sidelines or supporting Nikki Haley. Nancy Cook, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024 Over the weekend, in Selma, Ala., at the annual event marking Bloody Sunday 1965, when state troopers beat Black protesters marching for the right to vote, organizers held events to attract young African American voters. Kyle Gassiott, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024 Bowling Green, Kentucky Home to Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green continues to attract students, residents, and even international companies. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 The cost of living and housing here is also significantly lower than in larger cities like Milan and Rome, and this has attracted a lot of expats and retirees. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2024 Although the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors tends to attract less attention than other local government bodies, its five members wield enormous power. Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024 Jewelry designer David Farrugia of Uniform Object attracted attention for his layered chains. Ian Malone, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'attract.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin attractus, past participle of attrahere, from ad- + trahere to pull, draw

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of attract was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near attract

Cite this Entry

“Attract.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attract. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

attract

verb
at·​tract ə-ˈtrakt How to pronounce attract (audio)
1
: to pull to or toward oneself or itself
a magnet attracts iron
2
: to draw by appealing to interest or feeling
attract attention
Etymology

Middle English attracten "attract, cause to adhere," derived from Latin attrahere, literally "to draw near," from at-, ad- "to, toward" and trahere "to draw" — related to abstract, trace entry 1, trace entry 3

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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