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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tempted
Popular LLMs lean left, and as the technology reaches more classrooms, companies, regulators, and legislators will be tempted to entrench that bias.
—
Jonah Davids, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Lies feeling personally victimized yet weirdly tempted to rewatch the mess all over again!
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
This year, with elections looming, lawmakers might be tempted to make up shortfalls from politically motivated mistakes by short-changing programs that benefit Florida’s most vulnerable residents.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
An imminent public offering could help OpenAI retain employees who might otherwise be tempted to leave; few would want to walk away when their shares are about to vest and become liquid.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
And some economists worry that a loss of independence could lead to higher inflation in the long run because presidents may be tempted by the politically popular short-term benefits of low interest rates, like a hotter economy.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
To what degree are documentary filmmakers tempted to fiddle with reality while ostensibly presenting a clear and unadulterated image of it?
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
So its understandable that you might be tempted to let mom handle your daughters' education and support during menstruation.
—Christian Dashiell, Parents, 28 Jan. 2026
You might be tempted to crack jokes to break the tension, but sometimes that intensity is necessary.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
Jonah Davids, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Lies feeling personally victimized yet weirdly tempted to rewatch the mess all over again!
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
This year, with elections looming, lawmakers might be tempted to make up shortfalls from politically motivated mistakes by short-changing programs that benefit Florida’s most vulnerable residents.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
An imminent public offering could help OpenAI retain employees who might otherwise be tempted to leave; few would want to walk away when their shares are about to vest and become liquid.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
And some economists worry that a loss of independence could lead to higher inflation in the long run because presidents may be tempted by the politically popular short-term benefits of low interest rates, like a hotter economy.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
To what degree are documentary filmmakers tempted to fiddle with reality while ostensibly presenting a clear and unadulterated image of it?
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
So its understandable that you might be tempted to let mom handle your daughters' education and support during menstruation.
—Christian Dashiell, Parents, 28 Jan. 2026
You might be tempted to crack jokes to break the tension, but sometimes that intensity is necessary.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempted
Verb
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Marketing for top sportsbooks floods the airwaves and casts a giant net for customers that critics say has lured high schoolers, college kids, as well as those legally allowed to bet.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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Party activists have said many grassroots Republicans lost money, while others were lured by ads on shows hosted by conservatives including Erick Erickson, Hugh Hewitt and Charlie Kirk.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But the two candidates most likely to lead Bangladesh into a post-Hasina future are a far cry from those who risked everything on the barricades and in the streets to topple her.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Without Danish consent, landing there risked a diplomatic crisis and potentially an escalation with Germany.—
Cathie Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Pine seduced Roper away from Corky [Roper’s fixer, played by Tom Hollander, who was killed off in season one].—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Feb. 2026
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Since the dawn of time, the romance of railways has seduced poets, spellbound novelists, and dealt directors the perfect hand for capturing fleeting friendships, illicit affairs, and all manner of crimes and capers.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On Friday the men ventured farther out than usual — about a football field’s length from the shore — when the ice gave out.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
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The Orion capsule the crew will pilot – built by Lockheed Martin – is due to travel about 4,700 miles beyond the far side of the moon, taking its passengers the farthest humans have ever ventured in space before returning to Earth.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While the Super Bowl ad is for Cadillac F1, Apple is poised to be just as big a beneficiary, if viewers are enticed to check it out.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Feb. 2026
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That was the appetizer, as a year later, in 2022, Pitaro enticed Joe Buck and Troy Aikman from Fox — arguably the top NFL combo on air — on a pair of five-year deals for $75 million and $90 million, respectively.—
Andrew Marchand,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Both juries rejected a defense argument that Alkayyali was under the influence of sudden passion, and would have considered a term of two to 20 years if they were persuaded by the argument.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
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Renato Renner of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich is not persuaded that resolving the conflict between the Copenhagen and many-worlds interpretations solves all the problems.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tempted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempted. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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