femme fatale

noun

femme fa·tale | \ ˌfem-fə-ˈtal

, ˌfam-, -ˈtäl

plural femmes fatales\ ˌfem-fə-ˈtal(z)

, ˌfam- , -ˈtäl(z) \

Definition of femme fatale

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

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Examples of femme fatale in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Case in point: the actress and producer arrived to the Oscars this evening with a radically bold bob and a new brunette hair color worthy of a femme fatale. — Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "Charlize Theron Reveals a Femme Fatale Makeover at the Oscars," 25 Feb. 2019 Jolie was spotted shopping for her family at the supermarket while channeling a film noir femme fatale in a slick melange of head-to-toe black. — Edward Barsamian, Vogue, "Angelina Jolie Might Be the Chicest Supermarket Shopper Ever," 21 Mar. 2018 By trading a barely-there lip for a splashy take on femme fatale, a hue equally at home when worn near crystalline waters or on the Champs-Élysées. — Calin Van Paris, Vogue, "How This Model Took Chanel’s Runway Makeup Straight to the Paris Street," 2 Oct. 2018 In John Doyle’s revival, Anika Noni Rose stars as a femme fatale with David Aron Damane and Clifton Duncan as the other points in this love triangle. — Alexis Soloski, New York Times, "11 Plays and Musicals to Go to in N.Y.C. This Weekend," 21 June 2018 What meager charms remain can be credited mainly to the actors, including Clarke, intriguingly reticent as a love interest and possible femme fatale. — Justin Chang, latimes.com, "'Solo: A Star Wars Story' never gets off the ground, but don't blame Alden Ehrenreich," 16 May 2018 And should said moments function as a lesson in French girl beauty—from femme fatale to ingenue—all the better. — Calin Van Paris, Vogue, "Bella Hadid Reveals Two Femme Fatale Makeup Looks in Paris," 27 Sep. 2018 It's rendered especially captivating by the long overdue return to musical theater of Anika Noni Rose in a sizzling take on the title role, dressed to kill or be killed in femme fatale red. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Carmen Jones': Theater Review," 28 June 2018 There was another factor, too: Judy's notions of herself as a femme fatale, and as a woman who was dependent on men, were essential to her romantic self-image. — Country Living, "Judy Garland and Sid Luft's Star-Crossed Love Affair," 2 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'femme fatale.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.