allure 1 of 4

Definition of allurenext

allure

2 of 4

verb (1)

alluring

3 of 4

adjective

alluring

4 of 4

verb (2)

present participle of allure

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

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
But that sonic democratization is a large part of Suno’s allure for neophytes, who welcome the opportunity to have AI do most — or all — of the work for them, almost instantaneously. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026 Saturday night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs is one of two games available for purchase against their provincial rival, and the Pittsburgh Penguins (on Thursday), purely off the allure of Sidney Crosby and the fans who come to see him and his star teammates, is part of the offer. Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Verb
Despite having never considered Nashville as a potential home, she was allured by the idea that her social connections would thrive there and decided to settle. Erik Buckingham, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Nov. 2025 The region’s invigorating multiculturalism also allures visitors drawn to calypso music, island cuisine, and its history as a port of entry to the Caribbean. Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
That combination — genuine suffering refracted through dark humor, hardship worn lightly — is exactly what American audiences are finding so alluring in Korean stories right now. Dan Bilefsky, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 2026 For this new study, Ryan and his colleagues wanted to know if human preferences for certain animal calls—including those alluring calls from male túngara frogs—correlate with the preferences of female animals. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 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 See All Example Sentences for allure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allure
Noun
  • After an appeal of those terms, the arbitrator issued the decision to reinstate Moran on Wednesday.
    Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The older two initially resist their parents’ appeals to immerse themselves in nature, but the youngest, who is mute, explores the area and finds a magical tree inhabited by a group of extraordinary characters.
    The Week UK, TheWeek, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Their rare sprinkling of colorful choices throughout were even less appealing to the modern aesthete’s eye, right down to the pinkish-red bathroom.
    Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Now, agents field interest from sometimes dozens of potential buyers, and authors can pick the deal most appealing to them.
    Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • These factors include the high price of gold before the war, the relative attractiveness of other low-risk assets and a mixed record of living up to its safe-haven status.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • South Park and North Park, not wealthy neighborhoods, gained in attractiveness and value over decades because working people bought old houses, fixed and maintained them.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Buddhavarapu has a price target of $6 per share and says the stock is too attractive to ignore at current prices.
    Michael Bloom, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Considering that this metal was priced over $100 in January, around the same time the price of gold was surging, today's price serves as an attractive, cost-effective opportunity to get started with the metal.
    Matt Richardson, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Complete with Portland charm, cobble stone pathways, farm-to-table delights, local boutiques, shops, galleries and much more, its inviting neighborhood feel will set the tone for your day ahead.
    Dontaira Terrell, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Wessels catches gleams to follow not only in magical tales but in twinkling memories, sparkling wordplay, the films of silver-screen star Veronica Lake, and his charm of a daughter, the inspiration of a half-dozen poems that take their titles from spells.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • My mother had found a new, more revolutionary role model to follow—Fred Hampton, the charismatic twenty-one-year-old chairman of the Chicago Black Panthers.
    Zayd Ayers Dohrn, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
  • After years of victories in the name of campesinos, the group and its charismatic leaders seem ready for what’s next.
    Gustavo Arellano, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Curated by Alex Gartenfeld, Irma and Norman Braman Artistic Director, alongside Gean Moreno, Director of the Art + Research Center, Perfect Nonsense traces Korine’s enduring fascination with the American teenager, the outsider, and the intersection of celebrity and authenticity.
    Robert Lang, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
  • New-age has widened to a big-tent genre, evolving from heady subculture to mainstream schlock to avant-garde fascination, and now to chill, low-stakes record collector music.
    Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Most regions in the country are brimming with high-end hotels and charming bed and breakfasts, but staying at an Airbnb is a very Parent Trap move that gives you a closer connection to the area.
    Kelsey Mulvey, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2026
  • As charming as this set of tracks is, why release them now?
    Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Allure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allure. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

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