seduction

noun

se·​duc·​tion si-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce seduction (audio)
1
: the act of seducing
especially : the enticement of a person to sexual intercourse
2
: something that seduces : temptation
3
: something that attracts or charms

Examples of seduction in a Sentence

The book describes his seductions of young women. the swift seduction of the home buyers into a bigger house than they could afford
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Francis Fox, pedophile, is a smug, deceitful middle school English teacher, practiced in the art of seduction and the rewards and punishment psychology of B.F. Skinner. Heather Scott Partington, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025 Meanwhile, new technologies continue to flood in, each offering the seduction of speed. Siddhartha Mukherjee, New Yorker, 16 June 2025 Viewers eager for strategy and a touch of seduction will find everything waiting when Scandal lands back on Netflix on June 17. Tahar Rajab, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025 Especially in the language, there’s a lot of seduction in the lyrics. Vita Dadoo, Rolling Stone, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for seduction

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Late Latin seduction-, seductio, from Latin, act of leading aside, from seducere

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of seduction was in 1526

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Seduction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seduction. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on seduction

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!