beguiling

adjective

be·​guil·​ing bi-ˈgī-liŋ How to pronounce beguiling (audio)
bē-
Synonyms of beguiling
: 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

Examples of beguiling in a Sentence

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
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.
Less edible, but just as beguiling, are Amble’s puffins, which number up to 40,000 during their nesting season spent on Coquet Island, a mile or so offshore. Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 May 2026 This beguiling wine bar on one of the original streets of Chinatown is a model for how to enter a historic neighborhood respectfully, without erasing what came before. Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026 The star was then kept intriguingly off balance by Ford (who makes a beguiling feature-film debut here), as Jimmy launches into a complex affair with Vincent. David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2026 Not just the neat trick of beguiling highbrow critics while at the same time pleasing millions of readers who don’t care about literary bona fides. Literary Hub, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for beguiling

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of beguiling was in 1646

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Cite this Entry

“Beguiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beguiling. Accessed 19 May. 2026.

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