1
as in seduction
the pressure to give in to a desire for easy or immediate pleasure
he felt the temptation to go sailing, but did his chores instead
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in lure
something that persuades one to perform an action for pleasure or gain
money, power, and other overwhelming temptations can seduce a person to a life of crime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of temptation
Is there a temptation to restore Murillo?
—
Paul Taylor, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
It is made up of Marcus Aurelius’s advice to himself, produced perhaps as an antidote to being constantly surrounded by and subjected to the temptation and corruption of life as Emperor.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2025
Maybe a friend’s joke hits a little differently or someone in your circle suddenly feels less platonic and more like temptation.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
Beware shortcuts and the temptation to cheat Some grads are already taking AI to bold new places, like using it during job interviews.
—Brandon Griffin, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for temptation
Paul Taylor, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
It is made up of Marcus Aurelius’s advice to himself, produced perhaps as an antidote to being constantly surrounded by and subjected to the temptation and corruption of life as Emperor.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2025
Maybe a friend’s joke hits a little differently or someone in your circle suddenly feels less platonic and more like temptation.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
Beware shortcuts and the temptation to cheat Some grads are already taking AI to bold new places, like using it during job interviews.
—Brandon Griffin, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for temptation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temptation
Noun
-
Blazy divided his show into three chapters, and this first, called Le Paradoxe, brings power and seduction into conjunction.—
Nathan Heller,
Vogue,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Basically, to find this seduction.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Verna insists the souls of the dead live within the alien ship, but Mitsuki resists the lure.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
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Have a walking-style top-water lure ready for bass schooling on the surface chasing shad.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But Mehta said showing consumers a higher quantity of ads and incentives doesn’t mean as much as connecting with the consumer in a meaningful way.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
21 Oct. 2025
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The city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County combined are offering the company about $80,000 in tax incentives.—
Brian Gordon,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Temptation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temptation. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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