beguiling

1 of 2

adjective

be·​guil·​ing bi-ˈgī-liŋ 

bē-

: agreeably or charmingly attractive or pleasing

a beguiling manner

a beguiling aroma

… it's safe to say that the Balkans have never produced a politician so beguiling.

—Jane Kramer

beguilingly adverb

The restaurant is physically attractive, dishes are beguilingly presented, and the cuisine is always logically inventive, often inspired, sometimes sublime.

—Jay Jacobs

beguiling

2 of 2

present participle of beguile

Synonyms of beguiling

Adjective

• cunning
• cute
• slick
• subtle
• deceptive

Examples of beguiling in a Sentence

Adjective

a smart and beguiling child who can manipulate her parents with alarming ease

the beguiling allure of a life of crime

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The pervading myth goes that Henry was knowingly tricked into marrying Anne of Cleves by her falsely beguiling thirst trap of a portrait. — Eva Wolchover, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026

These include an always-performing, mercurial actress (Greta Lee, enjoying every minute of this meaty role) dedicated to the fine art of being considered beguiling. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026

In Lili Horvát’s beguiling third feature, the sudden return of Sam’s missing wife, who has no memory of anything except her scientific research, gives their relationship another chance. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026

The market’s message is often beguiling and inscrutable, with frequent overshoots and crowd-humiliating turnabouts that would be so satisfying to see coming in advance. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1646, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for beguiling

• compiling
• profiling
• refiling
• reviling
• stockpiling
• unsmiling
• filing
• piling
• smiling
• styling
• tiling
• reconciling