allure

1 of 2

verb

al·​lure ə-ˈlu̇r How to pronounce allure (audio)
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 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
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
And who's best to help teach her the art of alluring a man than Mr Collin Bridgerton himself? Alexandra Koster, refinery29.com, 11 Apr. 2024 The Texas Rangers are known for serving fans alluring food at Globe Life Field games and that will be no different for the upcoming Major League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2024
Noun
But despite the cheese’s importance to science, thousands of years of aging have certainly reduced its culinary allure. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024 The rapper/singer detailed the special allure found in debut albums, which often capture the pure essence of an artist’s sound. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for allure 

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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of allure was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near allure

Cite this Entry

“Allure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allure. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

allure

1 of 2 verb
al·​lure ə-ˈlu̇(ə)r How to pronounce allure (audio)
allured; alluring
: to try to attract or influence by offering what seems to be a benefit or pleasure
allurement noun

allure

2 of 2 noun
: power of attraction : charm

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