lure

noun

\ ˈlu̇r

Definition of lure

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : an object usually of leather or feathers attached to a long cord and used by a falconer to recall or exercise a hawk

2a : an inducement to pleasure or gain : enticement the lure of adventure the lure of her beauty

b : appeal, attraction may succumb to the lure of candy, sodas and other sweets— Cheryl Jennings-Sauer

3 : a decoy for attracting animals to capture: such as

a : artificial bait used for catching fish

b : an often luminous (see luminous sense 1a) structure on the head of pediculate fishes that is used to attract prey

lure

verb

lured; luring

Definition of lure (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to recall or exercise (a hawk) by means of a lure

2 : to draw with a hint of pleasure or gain : attract actively and strongly

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about lure

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Choose the Right Synonym for lure

Verb

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 lure in a Sentence

Noun the promise of easy money is always the lure for some people to take up a life of crime the fish simply didn't seem to like the lure I was using, so I didn't catch a thing Verb They lured the bear out of its den. The suburbs are luring middle-class families away from the city. The police lured him back to the scene of the crime. Explorers were lured to the area by tales of a city of gold. An attractive window display can help to lure shoppers into the store.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Even Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was not immune to the lure of these games. — Brett Molina, USA TODAY, 21 May 2021 Ever hasn’t struggled for kitchen staff, Muser said, because of the lure of working with chef Curtis Duffy. — Josh Noel, chicagotribune.com, 13 May 2021 Their motivations are human; they can be seduced by the lure of money, infamy or admiration. — David Robert Grimes, Scientific American, 26 Apr. 2021 Having access to the artists — who tend to be happy to talk to their wealthy new clients — is a lure. — New York Times, 12 May 2021 American media grotesquely overplays NFL draft coverage, because speculation is the best lure for the sports fan, but drafting well is essential, and the local teams have done well of late. — Star Tribune, 1 May 2021 Campus tours, Clark said, are one key lure, but the pandemic shut down in-person visits last spring and now. — Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2021 Others question the need to use the horses as a lure. — New York Times, 13 Apr. 2021 To teach your dog to turn, use a favorite treat or toy as a lure. — Star Tribune, 5 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb But in a study published in May in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, the team found that these plants lure pollinators using a different stench of death: the smell of dead beetles. — Max G. Levy, Wired, 3 June 2021 Poking holes in the plastic wrap will lure flies in but prevents their escape. — Amy Mitchell, Country Living, 25 May 2021 Before the pandemic, Metro was struggling to lure more riders on its buses and trains, with several years of declining ridership. — Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2021 Authorities allege that former Hennepin County probation officer Elsa Segura used a cellphone to lure Baugh, a real estate agent, to a fake home showing in Maple Grove. — Chao Xiong, Star Tribune, 25 May 2021 The board’s decision that a film merited a rating of R, or restricted, might lure more adults, but would immediately eliminate the pool of unchaperoned moviegoers under 17; an X rating would bar anyone under 17 altogether. — Sam Roberts, New York Times, 19 May 2021 The Colorado State Patrol has teamed with Bandimere Speedway to lure racers from public areas to a more controlled environment, even allowing participants to race a trooper driving a patrol car. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 14 May 2021 The spawning shad lure large bass to the shallow bays where the spawn occurs at the surface from dusk to just after dawn. — Frank Sargeant, al, 2 May 2021 Many small towns across the country are coming up with incentive programs to lure new workers, from paying cash to offering free sandwiches or whitewater rafting. — Kellie Hwang, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Apr. 2021

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