tantalize

verb

tan·​ta·​lize ˈtan-tə-ˌlīz How to pronounce tantalize (audio)
tantalized; tantalizing

transitive verb

: to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach

intransitive verb

: to cause one to be tantalized
tantalizer noun

Did you know?

Pity poor King Tantalus of Lydia. The mythic monarch offended the ancient Greek gods. As punishment, according to Homer's Odyssey, he was plunged up to his chin in water in Hades, where he had to stand beneath overhanging boughs of a tree heavily laden with ripe, juicy fruit. But though he was always hungry and thirsty, Tantalus could neither drink the water nor eat the fruit. Anytime he moved to get them, they would retreat from his reach. Our word tantalize is taken from the name of the eternally tormented king.

Examples of tantalize in a Sentence

She was tantalized by the possibility of earning a lot of money quickly.
Recent Examples on the Web In March of 1999, Cruel Intentions hit theaters, tantalizing audiences with its take on teen prep school culture and some of the characters involved in its seductive, sometimes dangerous, hierarchy. Eric Todisco, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 The sophomore trio consisting of shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and outfielders Nolan Jones and Brenton Doyle, along with tantalizing prospects such as Zac Veen, spark faith that there are better days down the road. Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2024 The next nine weeks leading up to the Pac-12 Tournament (March 6-10 in Las Vegas) hold much promise and intrigue, plus the tantalizing prospect of a Pac-12 national champion in the conference’s final season. Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 3 Jan. 2024 With its intriguing performances, narrative restraint and unanswered questions, the movie delivers a strong pull of yearning as well as tantalizing currents of suspicion and dread. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024 Zubrin requires nuclear fusion power plants that don’t yet exist, but always seem tantalizing close. Greg Autry, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 The tantalizing rosters could see the likes of McDavid, Crosby and Connor Bedard on the same team battling for gold. Stephen Whyno, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2024 The articles collected below offer tantalizing insight into both questions. Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 18 Jan. 2024 The two dynamic playmakers ended up getting exactly one snap together in 2022 because of injury, but the possibility of pairing them in the same backfield are still tantalizing. The Indianapolis Star, 17 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tantalize.' 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

Tantalus

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of tantalize was in 1597

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Dictionary Entries Near tantalize

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

tantalize

verb
tan·​ta·​lize ˈtant-ᵊl-ˌīz How to pronounce tantalize (audio)
tantalized; tantalizing
: to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach
tantalizingly
-ˌī-ziŋ-lē
adverb
Etymology

from Greek Tantalus, name of a king in mythology

Word Origin
In Greek mythology, King Tantalus offended the gods, so they punished him in a truly terrible way. He was forced to stand in a lake whose water came up to his neck. But every time Tantalus became thirsty and bent over to drink, the water level dropped so that he could never reach it. Above his head were branches loaded with delicious fruits. Yet every time Tantalus reached up to take a fruit, the branches moved up out of reach, leaving him hungry. Thus, Tantalus was always in torment, and from his name comes the English word for tormenting or teasing someone in a similar way.
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