tantalizing

1 of 2

adjective

tan·​ta·​liz·​ing ˈtan-tə-ˌlī-ziŋ 

: possessing a quality that arouses or stimulates desire or interest

also : mockingly or teasingly out of reach

tantalizingly adverb

tantalizing

2 of 2

present participle of tantalize

Examples of tantalizing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Part of the fun was a scavenger hunt with a tantalizing list of items to collect. — Kerry Kennedy, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026

And there is mounting evidence that markets have begun to push the tantalizing idea of AI beyond its limits. — Ruchir Sharma, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026

This has enabled people to port video games to other platforms, including PC, macOS, and web browsers, and even modify the code, raising tantalizing possibilities and questions about retro titles and game development. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026

Today, IceCube continues to collect neutrino data, broadening our understanding of the cosmos and presenting the tantalizing chance of observing undreamed-of cosmic events. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from present participle of tantalize

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1683, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tantalizing

• advertising
• agonising
• amortizing
• analyzing
• anodizing
• appetizing
• atomizing
• authorising
• authorizing
• carbonizing
• carburizing
• catalyzing