allure

1 of 2

verb

al·​lure ə-ˈlu̇r 

allured; alluring

transitive verb

: to entice by charm or attraction

… I had been fool enough to allow myself to be so quickly allured by her charms …

—Anthony Trollope

allurement

ə-ˈlu̇r-mənt 

noun

allure

2 of 2

noun

: power of attraction or fascination : charm

the allure of fame

rare books that hold a special allure for collectors

Synonyms

Verb

• charm
• fascinate
• entice
• delight
• lure
• interest
• enchant
• seduce
• intrigue

Noun

• appeal
• attractiveness
• charm
• fascination
• attraction
• glamour
• seductiveness
• glamor

Choose the Right Synonym for allure

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 allure in a Sentence

Verb

was so allured by his sister's college roommate that before long he was asking her for a date

allured by the promise of big bucks, he decided to have a go at a job on the trading floor of the stock market

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Nor should any red-blooded heroine be expected to drop as alluring a presence as Pascal. —Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 21 June 2025

Put your best foot forward, since all eyes will be on you once Venus enters alluring Taurus on June 6. —Liz Simmons, StyleCaster, 27 May 2025

Noun

But a large part of its enduring allure is arguably its world-class lineup of hotels that reflect Bangkok’s sophistication, Thai heritage, and renowned warmth and hospitality. —John Wogan, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025

For all of its allure, though, nostalgia is a tricky element for a restaurant to trade in, and a risky thing to rely on. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 6 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English aluren, from Middle French alurer, from Old French, from a- (from Latin ad-) + lure, leure lure — more at lure

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1534, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for allure

• abjure
• adjure
• assure
• brochure
• cocksure
• coiffure
• contour
• couture
• demure
• detour
• endure
• ensure

Kids Definition

allure

1 of 2 verb

al·​lure ə-ˈlu̇(ə)r 

allured; alluring

: to try to attract or influence by offering what seems to be a benefit or pleasure

allurement

-mənt 

noun

allure

2 of 2 noun

: power of attraction : charm