attractive

adjective

at·​trac·​tive ə-ˈtrak-tiv How to pronounce attractive (audio)
Synonyms of attractive
1
a
: arousing interest or pleasure : charming
an attractive smile
b
: appealing
an attractive offer
2
: having or relating to the power to attract
attractive forces between molecules
attractively adverb
attractiveness noun

Examples of attractive in a Sentence

An attractive woman greeted us at the door. The camera has many attractive features at a very attractive price.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For those who want to start a Broadcom position, shares at current levels are starting to look pretty attractive at 23-times next 12-months earnings estimates. Zev Fima, CNBC, 24 June 2026 For healthy, attractive skin, certain products are must-haves while others are optional. Brittney Melton, NPR, 24 June 2026 This was, first and foremost, a market formed around premium assets — star-level players on attractive deals like Kyrou and Tkachuk, or players 25 or under with star-level potential like Byram, Nemec, Samoskevich and Eklund — and for the most part, those aren’t the wares the Canucks are hawking. Thomas Drance, New York Times, 24 June 2026 This isn't much range by today's standards, but a smaller, less powerful standard battery is another factor in the EV's attractive pricing. Charles Singh, USA Today, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for attractive

Word History

Etymology

Middle English attractif, attractive "drawing out foreign matter from the body, able to ingest nutriments," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French attractif, attratif, borrowed from Late Latin attractīvus "capable of attracting, drawing toward itself," from Latin attractus, past participle of attrahere "to draw with force, compel to come" + -īvus -ive — more at attract

First Known Use

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of attractive was circa 1540

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attractive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attractive. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

attractive

adjective
at·​trac·​tive ə-ˈtrak-tiv How to pronounce attractive (audio)
: having the power or quality of attracting
especially : charming, pleasing
attractively adverb
attractiveness noun

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