Definition of temptationnext
1
as in seduction
the pressure to give in to a desire for easy or immediate pleasure he felt the temptation to go sailing, but did his chores instead

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of temptation Again, fight the temptation to stir! Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 13 June 2026 Given all the hype around SpaceX, temptation could be high to grab shares in the IPO and sell them quickly if a frenzy sends its price spiking. ABC News, 10 June 2026 Stay tuned for my full evaluation of Golden Gate when the public beta arrives next month, and please resist the temptation to install the inevitably slow and buggy developer beta. Edward Mendelson, PC Magazine, 10 June 2026 Lawmakers must resist the temptation to act out of fear to block the growth of AI and its still largely unknown benefits. Jessica Melugin, Mercury News, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for temptation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temptation
Noun
  • There is no grand seduction scene.
    Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 18 June 2026
  • The seduction of despair can be intense, whether on the personal or the political level.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • While most of them are completely fair game to use in every state when paired with an artificial lure, people are often surprised to learn that this is not always the case when fishing with live or natural dead bait.
    Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026
  • The lure of family, however, remains.
    Sean Gregory, Time, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • And given that such systems are physically possible, powerful economic and strategic incentives exist for technologists and entrepreneurs to build them.
    Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026
  • The money is an incentive granted by the city after working more than 20 years to attract a builder with a project appropriate for the property, which was cleared decades earlier for redevelopment.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Temptation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temptation. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.

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