allure 1 of 2

allure

2 of 2

verb

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
The allure of school pride and close friends proved too great to turn down. Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025 The archetype of the Siren is very symbolized by femininity and feminism, and power and allure. Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
Verb
The collection is inspired by alluring gangster films that are reimagined through the world of LaQuan Smith. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 17 Feb. 2025 While the expansive sight of Lee’s Wharf and Newport Harbor may allure you, the food and lively atmosphere at Flora will draw you back. airmail.news, 9 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for allure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allure
Noun
  • Beyond their aesthetic appeal, the fragments offer unique insights into Roman artistry and literacy.
    Willem Marx, NPR, 20 June 2025
  • There is also a case to be made that playing well with Thompson is part of Peterka’s appeal.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • Bo Peep Bo Peep is a flirt who likes to charm the other toys.
    Lisa Stardust, People.com, 18 June 2025
  • In the video, Chelsie Dahl shared her son's nightly ritual that has charmed viewers worldwide.
    Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • But Phoenix ultimately wasn’t tempted by a package of Wiggins, Rozier, Jaquez, Highsmith and the 20th pick.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 23 June 2025
  • So, the next time you’re tempted to discard your efforts on reworking your resume as a waste of time because employers won’t hire you…think again.
    Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • The writer was fascinated with sharks after spotting them during childhood fishing trips with his father on Nantucket.
    Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 20 June 2025
  • That stuff about the Gunn Mummy fascinates me though.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • Then, because of a wage and salary cap used to control inflation during World War II, more employers offered health insurance to lure workers.
    Renuka Rayasam, NPR, 27 June 2025
  • In recent years, however, the migration of traditional TV viewers to streaming and broadband venues has undermined the economics of traditional cable outlets — even those networks devoted to sports, a format which remains able to lure large simultaneous viewership.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • The dawn of the automobile age, for instance, spurred fascination with machinery, influencing designs like the cabochon spheres that evoke ball bearings in many Cartier pieces of the time.
    Jill Newman, Robb Report, 29 June 2025
  • The search for extraterrestrial life has long gone back and forth between scientific curiosity, public fascination and outright skepticism.
    Oliver Swainston, Space.com, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Each tune has its own momentum, with several of them enticing audiences and exciting them for his sophomore album American Heart, which arrives tomorrow (Friday, June 20).
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
  • Netflix may entice its subscribers to chill, but the global streamer is working on new offerings and deals to future-proof its content lineup and business.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • She was also found guilty of disorderly conduct for supposedly trying to seduce an undercover policewoman named Margaret Leonard, who’d been assigned to entrap her.
    Kellie B. Gormly, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2025
  • The first classic of the summer noir genre is no doubt René Clément’s adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel The Talented Mr. Ripley about a young American upstart who travels to Italy and murders a wealthy socialite before stealing his identity and seducing his wife.
    Erik Morse, Vogue, 26 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Allure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allure. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on allure

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!