1
as in lured
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 risked
to take a chance on
refusing to lay in enough food for the long winter tempts the dangers of starvation
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Recent Examples of tempted
Greta is so flummoxed by this gorgeous creature standing before her that she's tempted to genuflect and kiss her hand instead of shaking it.
—
Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
You may be tempted to leap ahead — stay strong!
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
While jittery investors may be tempted to sit out the market turbulence, those who move in and out of investments stand to lose the most, JPMorgan Asset Management data shows.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
The problem is, we’re often tempted to rush to the spectacular, when the perfectly mundane will more than suffice.
—Big Think, 1 Apr. 2026
After Tatis fouled off the next pitch, Flaherty did what a lot of pitchers will do to Tatis and tempted him with a slider that broke low and outside the zone.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Today, when architecture often seems tempted to retreat in the face of cascading crises, Gehry’s career suggests a different response.
—Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
Squeamish viewers may be tempted to follow her.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Mar. 2026
Plan Around Kids’ Stamina Overscheduling is a common family travel mistake, especially for active families tempted to pack in every trail and overlook.
—Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
You may be tempted to leap ahead — stay strong!
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
While jittery investors may be tempted to sit out the market turbulence, those who move in and out of investments stand to lose the most, JPMorgan Asset Management data shows.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
The problem is, we’re often tempted to rush to the spectacular, when the perfectly mundane will more than suffice.
—Big Think, 1 Apr. 2026
After Tatis fouled off the next pitch, Flaherty did what a lot of pitchers will do to Tatis and tempted him with a slider that broke low and outside the zone.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Today, when architecture often seems tempted to retreat in the face of cascading crises, Gehry’s career suggests a different response.
—Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
Squeamish viewers may be tempted to follow her.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Mar. 2026
Plan Around Kids’ Stamina Overscheduling is a common family travel mistake, especially for active families tempted to pack in every trail and overlook.
—Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempted
Verb
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And research shows young people are particularly at risk of sports gambling problems, lured in by splashy advertisements often featuring celebrities and promises of low risks and high rewards.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
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Prosecutors say Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane was lured to a Dallas studio, then allegedly kidnapped and robbed at gunpoint by a group that included Pooh Shiesty and Big30.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In December, a satellite deployed from a Chinese rocket also risked colliding with a Starlink sat, prompting SpaceX to call for better coordination in the aerospace industry.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
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Critics, however, warned that the approach risked eroding longstanding norms intended to shield prosecutorial decisions from political influence.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Tommy disburses stuffings and sauces to hungry locals as the GIs seduced their grandmothers with Camels and nylon stockings.—
Dominic Green,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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The craft, once passed down through generations, is now facing the reality that fewer young people—seduced by high-flying, big-city office jobs—are interested in toiling in its timeworn factories.—
Jessica Binns,
Sourcing Journal,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The 10-day mission involves circling the moon in a flyby manner (and not landing on the surface) and, in doing so, establishing the record for the farthest that humans have ever ventured into space.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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Only 24 people, all during nine Apollo missions from 1968-1972, had ever left low-Earth orbit and ventured to deep space.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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More than half of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in such plans, enticed by lower monthly premiums and extra benefits not covered by traditional Medicare, according to health policy research firm KFF.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
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Kan added that the high prices added another incentive for Hong Kongers to travel to mainland Chinese cities like neighboring Shenzhen, which have enticed growing numbers of Hong Kong visitors with more affordable grocery and dining costs in recent years.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By late 2015, Musk was persuaded.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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But these lopsided outcomes have not persuaded the media to treat the war as an American strategic success.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tempted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempted. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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