1
as in to lure
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage
that chocolate dessert sure tempts me, but I should stick with my diet
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to risk
to take a chance on
refusing to lay in enough food for the long winter tempts the dangers of starvation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tempt
Technology will always tempt us with convenience, but children learn best through love, attention, and genuine relationships.
—
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Producers tempted them with enormous platters piled high with junk food.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2025
Even if you’re tempted, don’t cover the pan before baking.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Few places on the island wouldn’t tempt climbers, but a couple of key spots regularly draw the cragsmen crowd.
—AFAR Media, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempt
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Producers tempted them with enormous platters piled high with junk food.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2025
Even if you’re tempted, don’t cover the pan before baking.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Few places on the island wouldn’t tempt climbers, but a couple of key spots regularly draw the cragsmen crowd.
—AFAR Media, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempt
Verb
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This is because Curaçao has a rich legacy of live performance, with such local genres as ritmo kombina and tumba luring locals into small clubs packed with full-on mini orchestras.—
Baz Dreisinger,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Maybe even lure restaurants and other businesses nearby.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Civil liberties campaigners across Britain and beyond swiftly condemned the designation, warning that applying terrorism laws to such a group risks chilling free speech and assembly, while also setting a dangerous precedent for protest rights.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
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With the country leaning in a Republican direction, donors could be less apt to risk donating to Biden.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The dramatic irony, of course, is that Julia did seduce Lovat and is now trying to take advantage of a precedent set by Davina with her own son, but Julia still ends up appealing to Davina’s better angels.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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Either way, the intention is to transport, and to seduce, as with fine music.—
Douglas Unger
August 29,
Literary Hub,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Dr Pepper has invested heavily in marketing during college football games and come up with novel flavors like strawberries and cream to entice soda drinkers.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
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The company, which started in 1947 in Conecuh County, Alabama, has a potent combination of enticing hickory smoke and a patented blend of seasonings that set their products apart from the usual offerings in the grocery-store meat case.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But much like Howard Jarvis feared, the tax-and-spend interests have sought to destroy Proposition 13 ever since, most recently by persuading courts to carve loopholes in its constitutional protections and invent new ways for government agencies to raise revenue.—
Jon Coupal,
Oc Register,
7 Sep. 2025
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Elizabeth Stage, whose Oakland hills home barely escaped the deadly 1991 firestorm, and whose work as president of the Oakland FireSafe Council involves persuading residents to adopt Zone 0 measures, said the study would be a helpful, persuasive tool.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With Alexe Godin and Andrew Spencer safe from winning the last challenge, the cast voted for Spencer Conley and Jess Edwards to stay after bombshell rumors that Kat Izzo had betrayed Dale Moss.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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The Rock last appeared in a big WWE segment at March's 2025 Elimination Chamber, where Cena, then a babyface, betrayed Cody Rhodes and helped The Rock and Travis Scott attack him.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempt. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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