tempts; tempted; tempting
: to cause (someone) to do or want to do something even though it may be wrong, bad, or unwise
The smell of the pie tempted me, but I resisted. [=I wanted some pie but did not eat any]
He tempted [=enticed] me with the offer of more money.
—often + intoThe smell of the pie tempted me into having a piece. [=it caused me to eat a piece of pie]
The saleswoman tried to tempt us into buying a more expensive model.
—often followed by to + verbThe saleswoman tried to tempt us to buy a more expensive model.
—often used as (be) tempted"Would you like some more pie?" "I'm tempted, but no thank you."
Students may be tempted to cheat on the test. [=they may consider cheating on the test]
I was sorely tempted to say [=I very much wanted to say] something rude to her, but I didn't.
She was tempted to quit and find a new job.
I'm tempted [=I'm inclined] to say yes, but I'm not completely sure.
Cite this Entry
“Tempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/tempt. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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