tempting

1 of 2

adjective

tempt·​ing ˈtem(p)-tiŋ 

: having an appeal : enticing entry 1

a tempting offer

temptingly adverb

tempting

2 of 2

present participle of tempt

Examples of tempting in a Sentence

Adjective

The desserts look very tempting.

It is tempting to think of him as the next American president.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Instead of deterring strikes, these bases are serving as tempting targets. — Alexander Langlois, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026

For would-be pirates in a country currently grappling with drought, worsening food insecurity, and shrinking humanitarian assistance, the economic incentives and risk-reward balance may be too tempting to pass up. — Aparajita Saxena, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026

The trap is that the most tempting move an owner could make with this data is some form of monetization. — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

The book offers the tempting possibility that children have wonderful, exciting things in store for them in unknown experiences. — Liz Rosenberg, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from present participle of tempt

First Known Use

Adjective

1588, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tempting

• attempting
• exempting
• preempting

Kids Definition

tempting

adjective

tempt·​ing ˈtem(p)-tiŋ 

: having a strong attraction

the food all looked tempting

temptingly adverb