attractive

adjective

at·​trac·​tive ə-ˈtrak-tiv 

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

Synonyms of attractive

• beautiful
• handsome
• cute
• lovely
• gorgeous
• pretty
• charming
• good
• stunning
• elegant

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

Those legal concerns have since been settled, and San Diego represents an attractive market. —Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026

There’s plenty of people who are attractive, who are smart, but charisma that people can’t help looking at or listening to is something that not many humans have. —Jack Denton, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026

Barclays upgrades Align Technology to overweight from equal weight Barclays says the dental company is too attractive to ignore. —Michael Bloom, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026

With funding still challenged, international production remains an attractive option for many American producers. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for attractive

• contractive
• extractive
• inactive
• proactive
• reactive
• refractive
• subtractive
• active
• tractive
• bioactive
• hyperactive
• interactive

Kids Definition

attractive

adjective

at·​trac·​tive ə-ˈtrak-tiv 

: having the power or quality of attracting

especially : charming, pleasing

attractively adverb

attractiveness noun