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

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

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

Aaron is young and attractive, with a strong jaw and visible tattoos. —Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025

Another attractive point of the system is that existing drum motors can be retrofitted with the new technology. —Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2025

The Asian restaurant joins what has become an increasingly attractive section of Meridian for grabbing food. —Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 27 Oct. 2025

JPMorgan upgrades Five Below to overweight from neutral JPMorgan says the risk/reward is too attractive to ignore for the discount retailer. —Michael Bloom, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025

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