entice

verb

en·​tice in-ˈtīs How to pronounce entice (audio)
en-
enticed; enticing

transitive verb

: to attract artfully or adroitly or by arousing hope or desire : tempt
enticement noun
Choose the Right Synonym for entice

lure, entice, inveigle, decoy, tempt, seduce mean to lead astray from one's true course.

lure implies a drawing into danger, evil, or difficulty through attracting and deceiving.

lured naive investors with get-rich-quick schemes

entice suggests drawing by artful or adroit means.

advertising designed to entice new customers

inveigle implies enticing by cajoling or flattering.

fund-raisers inveigling wealthy alumni

decoy implies a luring into entrapment by artifice.

attempting to decoy the enemy into an ambush

tempt implies the presenting of an attraction so strong that it overcomes the restraints of conscience or better judgment.

tempted by the offer of money

seduce implies a leading astray by persuasion or false promises.

seduced by assurances of assistance

Examples of entice in a Sentence

every commercial seemed to be for some tempting snack specifically designed to entice me from my diet
Recent Examples on the Web The film’s characters are often enticed by the possibility of disappearing into happy memories, especially when their lives get tough. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024 Developers of China’s video streaming and gaming apps are dumping marketing dollars into Facebook, X and YouTube to entice potential users. Mike Isaac, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Such bonuses or offers are needed to entice customers to their site — and, perhaps, away from their current off-shore account or other methods of placing bets. Brian Murphy, Charlotte Observer, 28 Feb. 2024 The Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad Company recognized the industrious nature of the German Catholic population and decided to entice immigration by establishing a church and monastery to build near their line. Curtis Varnell The Timepiece, arkansasonline.com, 25 Feb. 2024 Suspect has lengthy list of criminal convictions McDougal has a lengthy criminal past with convictions for violent crimes and another for enticing a child, according to court records in several Texas counties. Rosa Flores, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024 Refuse to let anyone confuse you or use manipulative means to entice you into taking a different path instead of pursuing your dreams. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024 That money enticed him to forget his college commitment to UCLA. Chuck Murr, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 To entice workers back in person, companies are seeking out smaller, newer offices with more amenities and benefits, Fred Cordova, CEO of real estate consultancy Corion Enterprises, told Fortune. Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'entice.' 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 Anglo-French enticer, from Vulgar Latin *intitiare, from Latin in- + titio firebrand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of entice was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near entice

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

entice

verb
en·​tice in-ˈtīs How to pronounce entice (audio)
enticed; enticing
: to attract by arousing hope or desire : tempt
enticement noun
enticingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on entice

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