femme fatale

noun

femme fa·​tale ˌfem-fə-ˈtal 

ˌfam-, 

-ˈtäl 

plural femmes fatales ˌfem-fə-ˈtal(z) 

ˌfam-, 

-ˈtäl(z)

1

: a seductive woman who lures men into dangerous or compromising situations

2

: a woman who attracts men by an aura of charm and mystery

Synonyms of femme fatale

• siren

Examples of femme fatale in a Sentence

an actress who was often cast as cynical, sexy femmes fatales

Recent Examples on the Web

Tony Dalton brings impressive menace to a superficially affable sheriff, and Laura Donnelly strikes the perfect balance between femme fatale and innocent love interest. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026

Saldaña wore a selection from Balmain’s fall 2026 ready-to-wear collection, defined by a distinct noir sensibility that evoked a modern femme fatale archetype. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 31 July 2026

The unifying archetype of the femme fatale, however, elevated Laferte’s songbook to a new level of cinematic noir. — Ernesto Lechner, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026

Astonishing to watch Armand invent noir femme fatale aphorisms in real time. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 20 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, disastrous woman

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for femme fatale

• duopoly
• melancholy
• musicale
• pulmonale
• triticale
• akali
• bengali
• diwali
• loblolly
• naphtali
• nepali
• secale