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
The temptations to subvert our open records act are everywhere and often not resisted.
—
Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
The temptation to dig in will grow.
—Jason Willick, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2026
But was there any temptation to have more fun with that?
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 6 Mar. 2026
For a president who has treated natural resources as both leverage and loot, Iran’s oil fields would appear to be the ultimate temptation.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for temptation
Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
The temptation to dig in will grow.
—Jason Willick, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2026
But was there any temptation to have more fun with that?
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 6 Mar. 2026
For a president who has treated natural resources as both leverage and loot, Iran’s oil fields would appear to be the ultimate temptation.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for temptation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temptation
Noun
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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
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So with seduction or intimacy, there's also concern that the quality of the information that comes out of these sort of attempts is not necessarily as robust.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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One&Only Moonlight Basin in Montana uses the lure of a wood stove and high-end whiskey to get you out on a fat-tire bike in the snow.—
Kevin Sintumuang,
Outside,
10 Mar. 2026
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First baseman Adam Lind was the lure that brought Peralta and two other minor-league pitchers to the Brewers.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Carolyn McCrady, member of GARD, said the organization wants Gary to enact a one-year moratorium on data center considerations, specifically because of the lack of transparency, tax incentives, environmental impact, and the lack of job creation.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
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Planning for a future Winter Olympics could even provide the incentive — and deadline — to improve this corridor, already one of Amtrak’s busiest sections.—
Robert Carroll,
New York Daily News,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Temptation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temptation. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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