as in tempts
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage
the hunter lured the lion into the open with the antelope carcass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in temptations
something that persuades one to perform an action for pleasure or gain
the promise of easy money is always the lure for some people to play the lottery good schools are a lure for prospective home buyers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in baits
something used to attract animals to a hook or into a trap
the fish simply didn't seem to like the lure I was using, so I didn't catch a thing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in seductions
the act or pressure of giving in to a desire especially when ill-advised
the lure of the video game was distracting me from my studies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lures
Pam Leblanc, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026
Jamaica Jamaica lures visitors with its share of beautiful beaches.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026
When Mi-jeong lures Sarah Kim away and tries to kill her, Sarah Kim gets the upper hand.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
The film frankly depicts the extreme sub-dom relationship that Erika lures Elliot into, peppered with Araki’s trademark playful-surrealism while committed to a certain, refreshing explicitness.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 23 Jan. 2026
Jimenez’s movement lures Matthijs de Ligt up the pitch, stretching the right side of United’s defence, with Leny Yoro already in an advanced position to defend Iwobi.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Garbage lures insects, which in turn lure spiders.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 4 Dec. 2025
Max lures Holly to meet her within the dreamworld-like part of the Upside Down.
—Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
The shape-shifting entity lures the kiddos into the sewers before revealing itself in the freakier form of Pennywise, officially welcoming Skarsgård back into the fold.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Nov. 2025
Verb
Once a sleepy fishing village, Rockport is growing, but still lures in anglers, artists, families, and nature lovers who like the slower pace.
—Pam Leblanc, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026
Jamaica Jamaica lures visitors with its share of beautiful beaches.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026
When Mi-jeong lures Sarah Kim away and tries to kill her, Sarah Kim gets the upper hand.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
The film frankly depicts the extreme sub-dom relationship that Erika lures Elliot into, peppered with Araki’s trademark playful-surrealism while committed to a certain, refreshing explicitness.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 23 Jan. 2026
Jimenez’s movement lures Matthijs de Ligt up the pitch, stretching the right side of United’s defence, with Leny Yoro already in an advanced position to defend Iwobi.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Garbage lures insects, which in turn lure spiders.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 4 Dec. 2025
Max lures Holly to meet her within the dreamworld-like part of the Upside Down.
—Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
The shape-shifting entity lures the kiddos into the sewers before revealing itself in the freakier form of Pennywise, officially welcoming Skarsgård back into the fold.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lures
Verb
-
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Which horizon tempts your curious steps now?—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
-
November 22 – December 21 Which horizon tempts your curious steps now?—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
When Taylor is announced as The Bachelorette, and Jen and Whitney head to Dancing with the Stars, competition creates chaos, temptations arise, and tradition turns upside down.—
Fleurine Tideman,
Glamour,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Strong’s mindset, at a time when there are more distractions and temptations than ever in college sports, means Auriemma is left playing defense against those obstacles far less.—
Chantel Jennings,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Always follow local rules and regulations when trapping and relocating gophers and never use poison baits, which can harm non-target animals like owls and pets.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Start by setting out baits labeled for carpenter ants (but keep them out of reach of kids and pets).—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
So, who was it from our universe that would be most susceptible to that kind of messaging, or who would find the seductions of the power offered by that the most compelling?—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
3 Mar. 2026
-
But the seductions of ChatGPT are hard to resist, and Marsicano noted that the college has seen an increase in code violations due to AI.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The victim of his sacrifice is Gretchen, a virgin whom Faust seduces and abandons in his devilish reverie, and who kills their illegitimate child.—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
-
The film follows the deliciously immoral, widowed Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale), who maneuvers, deceives and seduces her way through London and across her relatives' country estates in an effort to find a wealthy husband for herself and her daughter, Frederica (Morfydd Clark).—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
29 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Another reason is that in many European leagues, a large share of broadcasting revenue comes from viewers’ pay-TV subscriptions, negating some of the incentives behind sweeping ad rollouts.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Plano city leaders later agreed to give AT&T $20 million in incentives and a lengthy property tax rebate for the firm to build its new global headquarters.—
Nick Wooten,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
What follows this admission is a piercing dissection not of the art itself, but of frameworks of looking at Black art and life that go beyond racist tropes disguised as appeals to the primitive, the spontaneous, the corporeal.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Both prior appeals were denied.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Loot boxes in the crosshairs James alleges Valve entices players to pay for a chance to win a rare virtual item, and that those rare items can be traded for real money in accordance with their rarity.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Your starter entices with a spicy-tangy flavor, leading into the classic roasted chicken entree.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lures. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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