entice

verb

en·​tice in-ˈtīs 

en-

enticed; enticing

transitive verb

: to attract artfully or adroitly or by arousing hope or desire : tempt

enticement

in-ˈtī-smənt 

en-

noun

Synonyms of entice

• tempt
• lure
• seduce
• persuade

Choose the Right Synonym for entice

lure, entice, inveigle, decoy, tempt, seduce mean to lead astray from one's true course.

lure implies a drawing into danger, evil, or difficulty through attracting and deceiving.

lured naive investors with get-rich-quick schemes

entice suggests drawing by artful or adroit means.

advertising designed to entice new customers

inveigle implies enticing by cajoling or flattering.

fund-raisers inveigling wealthy alumni

decoy implies a luring into entrapment by artifice.

attempting to decoy the enemy into an ambush

tempt implies the presenting of an attraction so strong that it overcomes the restraints of conscience or better judgment.

tempted by the offer of money

seduce implies a leading astray by persuasion or false promises.

seduced by assurances of assistance

Examples of entice in a Sentence

every commercial seemed to be for some tempting snack specifically designed to entice me from my diet

Recent Examples on the Web

Africa’s leading banking groups are targeting DR Congo, enticed by one of the continent’s fastest-growing economies and the promise of a lucrative mining sector, despite the ongoing conflict in the country’s east. —Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025

There were questions swirling over whether Nintendo’s Switch 2 would be different enough from its predecessor to entice users. —Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025

Ultimately, the monkey’s owner was able to entice it with a cookie and regain control. —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2025

Sutter County supervisors this week approved pay raises and additional time-off benefits to entice and retain deputy district attorneys after losing prosecutors and struggling to hire new ones. —Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French enticer, from Vulgar Latin *intitiare, from Latin in- + titio firebrand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for entice

• advice
• allspice
• concise
• device
• excise
• fordyce
• precise
• suffice
• dice
• feis
• gneiss
• grice

Kids Definition

entice

verb

en·​tice in-ˈtīs 

enticed; enticing

: to attract by arousing hope or desire : tempt

enticement

-mənt 

noun

enticingly

-iŋ-lē 

adverb