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

Princess Cruises® sails to 330 of the world’s most beguiling destinations, and getting there is part of the pleasure. — Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Sep. 2026

Lawrence Kasdan’s directorial debut is an erotic neo-noir thriller starring Kathleen Turner as the beguiling femme fatale Matty alongside William Hurt as an unscrupulous lawyer, Ned. — Air Mail, 29 Aug. 2026

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

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