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
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 lures
Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
The region’s invigorating multiculturalism also lures visitors with calypso music, island cuisine, and its history as a port of entry to the Caribbean.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2025
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
Then there’s a mysterious stranger, a fresh-faced young woman (a rather haunting Isla Johnston) who lures him into her trap with true temptation but soon morphs into her actual identity as none other than the devil, albeit one with ruby red lips.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025
The Modern’s intimate bar and restaurant lures both locals and travelers with high-quality cocktails and food.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2025
Buford wanted to understand the psychology of what lures people – usually men – to feed into the violence inspired by a sporting event.
—Ed Lavandera, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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
The region’s invigorating multiculturalism also lures visitors with calypso music, island cuisine, and its history as a port of entry to the Caribbean.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2025
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
Then there’s a mysterious stranger, a fresh-faced young woman (a rather haunting Isla Johnston) who lures him into her trap with true temptation but soon morphs into her actual identity as none other than the devil, albeit one with ruby red lips.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025
The Modern’s intimate bar and restaurant lures both locals and travelers with high-quality cocktails and food.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2025
Buford wanted to understand the psychology of what lures people – usually men – to feed into the violence inspired by a sporting event.
—Ed Lavandera, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lures
Verb
-
Unwind Along the Coast Zanzibar, a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa, tempts with spice tours, rooftop cocktails, and sunset dhow sails.—
Karin Jones,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The device contains, among other things, doorways to other dimensions, including one that tempts Peacemaker with a seemingly storybook version of his broken family.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Dinner at Veranda had its own temptations, including the prime beef filet offered with traditional sauces and the Dungeness crab wedge salad with Louis dressing—practically an entrée in itself.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Jan. 2026
-
His fall played as tabloid morality tale, at once confirming secular suspicion about hypocritical Christians and Christian suspicions about the temptations of secular trappings.—
Sam Kestenbaum,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Gel baits have quicker results than bait stations, meanwhile bait stations are perfect for ongoing maintenance after the use of gel baits.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Nov. 2025
-
New for 2025 at Bass Pro Shops is BioBait—lures made from a revolutionary formula that breaks down faster than traditional plastic baits.—
Ally Jaksen,
Outside,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Everything about the scene seduces the viewer into what dining while traveling in the most luxurious fashion could be, and once was.—
Kristin L. Wolfe,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
In his youth, the blue-eyed Stamp was widely considered one of the most handsome men onscreen, and Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini used that to peculiar effect in Teorema (1968), casting the actor as a nameless and wordless visitor who seduces an entire household.—
Rhett Bartlett,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Kansas and Missouri have spent the past 18 months trying to secure the team through sweeping stadium-funding incentives packages — which the Chiefs used last month to announce their intentions for a move to Kansas.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The country is largely focused on a self-sufficiency drive to build up its chipmaking capabilities, a push that’s included readying a new round of incentives of as much as $70 billion for the chip sector.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Payments will be distributed after the settlements are approved and any appeals are resolved.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Both sides also had filed appeals, with DMACC challenging the judge's injunction and Drake arguing that Rose wrongly excluded from her injunction a block D with a bear paw logo, previously used by DMACC in connection with its Bears athletics teams.—
William Morris,
Des Moines Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For example, a suet cake with mealworms attracts bluebirds, and adding fruit entices mockingbirds, says Stewart.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
16 Dec. 2025
-
While Summer most likely has tonnes of toys and a dog bed, there’s something about cardboard boxes that entices pets.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Power outages have frequently been the cause of riders becoming stranded on amusement park attractions in the past.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Walt would come to Disneyland on Saturday mornings to walk the park with Fowler and other managers to inspect operations and float ideas for new attractions and expansion plans.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lures. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share