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Definition of allurenext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word allure different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of allure are attract, captivate, charm, enchant, and fascinate. While all these words mean "to draw another by exerting a powerful influence," allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

When might attract be a better fit than allure?

Although the words attract and allure have much in common, attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

How are the words charm and captivate related as synonyms of allure?

Charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response, but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

charmed by their hospitality
her performances captivated audiences

When can enchant be used instead of allure?

While in some cases nearly identical to allure, enchant is perhaps the strongest of these terms in stressing the appeal of the agent and the degree of delight evoked in the subject.

hopelessly enchanted by her beauty

When would fascinate be a good substitute for allure?

While the synonyms fascinate and allure are close in meaning, fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of allure
Noun
In the eyes of the conferences, and CFP committee, the allure of a postseason bid is the carrot that would dangle in front of them so that fans would look the other way at the nonsense this creates for the football played in September or October. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 For those looking to leave an unusual, decidedly intriguing scent trail, few notes offer quite the same allure. — Valentina Bottoni, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
The button front adds interest to the waistline, while the hidden zipper closure and alluring back slit offers all-day comfort. — Jennifer Chan, PEOPLE, 28 Dec. 2025 In a gaming landscape full of always-online MMOs worth exploring in depth, Arrakis' treacherous sands and its more populated locales are alluring in ways even the biggest Dune fans weren't expecting at first. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 26 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for allure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allure
Noun
  • Admittedly, the album’s ’90s sound palette has echoes of millennial nostalgia bait—but then again, when has nostalgia not been part of Hemsworth’s appeal?
    — Mehan Jayasuriya, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The government filed an emergency appeal asking the justices to lift a lower court decision halting construction.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But competition is tough, and few serious investors are charmed by candlelight meetings.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
  • During a visit in August, I was charmed to find that the fresh Jersey peaches infused into the water were cut in the shape of hearts.
    — Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • There are two clues that suggest Burnham may be tempted to pull the trigger.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • With substantial American forces already positioned in the region, Washington may be tempted to break the deadlock through another round of attacks.
    — Ali Vaez, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • On the other hand, higher Fed rates typically bolster the attractiveness of dollar assets, exerting depreciation pressure on local currencies.
    — , CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The rankings were based on student outcomes, learning environment and attractiveness.
    — Finch Walker, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Amid all the con artists and fraudsters this century has produced, Holmes is the one who fascinates us the most.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • He’s always been obsessed with historic epochs like the Civil War and World War II and fascinated with the post-war boom and the sojourns of Route 66.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Nothing would lure them back to repair the fracture; not a 1998 tribute record, nor a £2 million reunion offer.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
  • But, war or no war, M+C Saatchi would endeavor to lure tourists here.
    — Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • There's a fascination with his helicopter rides from the Sixers' facility in New Jersey to New York.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The Gibsons were hoping to capitalize on that same fascination.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Emirates, which has nearly returned to its prewar capacity, is trying to entice more connecting travelers on long-haul flights to make a stop in Dubai.
    — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The 17-year-old said there is a lot of peer pressure to vape, and the product flavors and designs are enticing for teens.
    — Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Allure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allure. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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