tantalize

verb

Save Word

tan·ta·lize | \ ˈtan-tə-ˌlīz

tantalized; tantalizing

Definition of tantalize

transitive verb

: to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach

intransitive verb

: to cause one to be tantalized

Other Words from tantalize Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about tantalize

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of tantalize in a Sentence

She was tantalized by the possibility of earning a lot of money quickly.

Recent Examples on the Web In the late 1990s, Napster tantalized us with the prospect of a universal digital musical library at our fingertips—no permission sought or granted. — Noam Cohen, Wired, "The National Emergency Library and Its Discontents," 20 Apr. 2020 Much like the mythological sphinx, Taylor Swift is prone to speaking—and posting on Instagram—in elaborate riddles, tantalizing her fans with esoteric clues about the new projects she's got in the works. — Emily Dixon, Marie Claire, "The Internet Thinks Taylor Swift's Latest Instagram Post Has a Hidden Meaning," 28 Apr. 2020 Shook is a tantalizing pro power forward prospect because of her size (6-foot-4), shot-blocking ability (Louisville’s all-time leader in blocks) and her ability to face-up and jump shoot, particularly in pick-and-pop situations. — Hayes Gardner, The Courier-Journal, "Where will Louisville’s Kylee Shook and Jazmine Jones be picked in WNBA Draft?," 16 Apr. 2020 There is something tantalizing about being there but not being there, about being everywhere and nowhere at once. — Reif Larsen, New York Times, "How to See the World When You’re Stuck at Home," 24 Mar. 2020 And every time the home team put runners on base, momentarily tantalizing the sellout crowd of 54,005, the budding rally quickly fizzled. — Ron Kroichick, SFChronicle.com, "Athletics’ offense vanishes when it matters most, leading to playoff exit," 2 Oct. 2019 Jaguar wasn’t the only company to tantalize vintage-car aficionados with classic conversions. — Roy Furchgott, New York Times, "Electroshock Therapists for Classic Cars," 23 Apr. 2020 This week, Netflix has six new offerings to tantalize self-quarantine bingers the world over. — Ariana Romero, refinery29.com, "You Have 6 New Netflix Treats To Binge This Weekend — Here’s What’s Worth Watching," 3 Apr. 2020 Quasars have tantalized and tortured astronomers since they were discovered in the early 1960s as dots of light far, far away pouring out baffling amounts of energy into space. — Dennis Overbye, New York Times, "the first image of a black hole," 7 Apr. 2020

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about tantalize

Listen to Our Podcast about tantalize

Dictionary Entries near tantalize

Statistics for tantalize

Last Updated

26 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Tantalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tantalize. Accessed 7 Jun. 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for tantalize

tantalize

verb

English Language Learners Definition of tantalize

: to cause (someone) to feel interest or excitement about something that is very attractive, appealing, etc.

See the full definition for tantalize in the English Language Learners Dictionary

tantalize

verb

tan·ta·lize | \ ˈtan-tə-ˌlīz

tantalized; tantalizing

Kids Definition of tantalize

: to tease or excite by or as if by showing, mentioning, or offering something desirable but keeping it out of reach Annemarie always tried … to build up the suspense and tantalize her sister.— Lois Lowry, Number the Stars

Keep scrolling for more