Definition of intrigue
1a : a secret scheme : machinationb : the practice of engaging in secret schemes
2 : a clandestine love affair
From the M-W Editors
Examples of intrigue in a Sentence
Rolston's work channels the vampish intrigue of vintage Hollywood with a sense of irony and wit that makes the work truly modern. —Stephanie Sung, Picture, September/October 2008
In this, as in any other enterprise where there is the promise of money, intrigues and lies and hoodwinking and bullying abound. —Alice Munro, “Hard-Luck Stories,” in In the Stacks, 2002
The story began to take on a warm, attractive glow as a Highland romantic epic of heroism and villainy, of intrigue and bravery, complete with comely maidens such as Flora MacDonald and handsome heroes such as Bonnie Prince Charlie himself. —Arthur Herman, How the Scots Invented the Modern World, 2001
a novel of intrigue and romance
an administration characterized by intrigue and corruption
Recent Examples of intrigue from the Web
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Contrary to claims from defenders of Mr Trump, a freelance bid by a junior Democratic operative to get dirt on Mr Manafort from the Ukrainians does not compare to this intrigue.
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But the episode added another layer of intrigue to a 3-month-old political crisis that has left at least 75 people dead and hundreds more jailed or injured in clashes between security forces and protesters seeking Maduro's removal.
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Being the godmother and step-aunt to Tupac Shakur also adds to her intrigue.
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And then come the Celtics, starting the intrigue, at least in the draft.
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The news, amid a crackdown on financial risk-taking in China, adds to the intrigue surrounding one of the country’s most aggressive overseas dealmakers, which has faced questions over its ownership and financing.
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Amid the intense intrigue about the team's quarterback overhaul, Fangio's success this season and his status beyond it are nearly as important to a rebuilding project still striving for continuity.
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Plays in play This year’s best-play nominees offer intrigue, too.
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As opposed to that sort of cloak-and-danger intrigue, always-on smart speakers offer low-key potential for privacy invasion that's limited in approach but vast in scope.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'intrigue.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of intrigue
French intricate affair, from Italian intrigo, from intrigare to entangle, from Latin intricare —see intricate
Synonym Discussion of intrigue
Definition of intrigue
intrigued
;intriguing
intriguer
nounExamples of intrigue in a Sentence
One day during math study period, after I'd finished my regular assignment, I took out a fresh sheet of paper and tried to solve a problem that had intrigued me: whether the first player in a game of ticktacktoe can always win, given the right strategy. —Martin Gardner, Scientific American, August 1998
Bundy was also a man whose thinking in foreign affairs was extremely conventional … but who in the area of domestic policy was curiously more open-minded and unconventional, so that throughout the Kennedy years, friends would be intrigued by the difference in Bundy. —David Halberstam, Harper's, July 1969
evidence that the leading manufacturers had intrigued to keep prices artificially high
the mystery story intrigued me so that I read it in one sitting
Recent Examples of intrigue from the Web
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Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.
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And one other aspect of Darwin’s story about the Staffordshire estate intrigued Thoreau: its human element.
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Click hereto get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.
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The colors are luscious and rich, the production values are stellar, the characters intriguing.
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Although the findings are intriguing, there’s a risk of overstating the links between water weight and quakes, says John Vidale, a geophysicist at the University of Washington in Seattle who has studied tides and quakes.
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Let Flowers Fade and Fall Practicing wabi-sabi means learning that impermanence is part of what makes things intriguing and appealing, and embracing dying as a necessary part of life.
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Let Flowers Fade and Fall Practicing wabi-sabi means learning that impermanence is part of what makes things intriguing and appealing, and embracing dying as a necessary part of life.
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As slim as her chances at defeating President Paul Kagame in the August election may be, Rwigara has intrigued Rwandans by speaking openly in a country known for its devastating 1994 genocide and recovery.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'intrigue.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of intrigue
see 1intrigue
INTRIGUE Defined for English Language Learners
intrigue
playDefinition of intrigue for English Language Learners
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: the activity of making secret plans
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: a secret plan
intrigue
playDefinition of intrigue for English Language Learners
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: to make (someone) want to know more about something : to cause (someone) to become interested
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: to make secret plans
INTRIGUE Defined for Kids
Definition of intrigue for Students
: a secret and complex plot
Learn More about intrigue
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See words that rhyme with intrigue Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for intrigue Spanish Central: Translation of intrigue Nglish: Translation of intrigue for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of intrigue for Arabic speakers
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