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
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Recent Examples of tempted
If you’re tempted to join them, there’s no shortage of entry points.
—
Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026
So, Alamo decides to kill Rue in an uncharacteristically anticlimactic fashion — by giving her painkillers laced with fentanyl and trusting that the addict will be tempted enough to swallow them.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 1 June 2026
You also might be tempted to spend on luxury, art and beautiful things.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
In the Bible, Jesus is tempted three times.
—Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
Take a Step Back If your toddler is having trouble with a shape sorter, you might be tempted to take the circle and drop it into the right slot for them.
—Dina Gachman, Parents, 30 May 2026
Part of the rationale to legalize sports gambling was that professional athletes make so much money that they wouldn’t be tempted by bribes.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Don't be tempted to try trends that encourage washing them in the dishwasher.
—Lauren Wicks, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
And their employees will have a clear avenue for reporting emerging safety risks that companies may be tempted to downplay, with protections provided by the state’s whistleblower laws.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 28 May 2026
Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026
So, Alamo decides to kill Rue in an uncharacteristically anticlimactic fashion — by giving her painkillers laced with fentanyl and trusting that the addict will be tempted enough to swallow them.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 1 June 2026
You also might be tempted to spend on luxury, art and beautiful things.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
In the Bible, Jesus is tempted three times.
—Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
Take a Step Back If your toddler is having trouble with a shape sorter, you might be tempted to take the circle and drop it into the right slot for them.
—Dina Gachman, Parents, 30 May 2026
Part of the rationale to legalize sports gambling was that professional athletes make so much money that they wouldn’t be tempted by bribes.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Don't be tempted to try trends that encourage washing them in the dishwasher.
—Lauren Wicks, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
And their employees will have a clear avenue for reporting emerging safety risks that companies may be tempted to downplay, with protections provided by the state’s whistleblower laws.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempted
Verb
-
After constructing a timeline, investigators concluded that Emilio had been lured to meet Alvarez shortly before his disappearance.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
-
In Alonso, though, Chelsea has lured an elite-level manager with a point to prove after the way things ended for him at Real Madrid.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
But moving too aggressively risked internal strife.—
Euan Ward,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
-
But that also risked diluting the administration’s leverage in peace talks.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Young women being preyed upon and seduced by rapacious Hollywood producers, stars and studio heads is a tired cliché, but like all clichés, it is based on reality.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
-
Mina is seduced by a shapeshifting, lovelorn vampire while Jonathan is waylaid by the count’s sexy (and horrific) brides at his Transylvanian castle.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Hernandez has since retired from gymnastics, published two books, gone back to school, ventured into acting, and earned a Sports Emmy as a commentator at the 2024 Summer Olympics.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 June 2026
-
All the possible locations are further south than any of the Apollo astronauts landed or ventured, according to NASA.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
More Arsenal fans have searched for the shirt since the parade, with 55 bought from Etsy in the 24 hours after the parade, but the reference is what enticed buyers pre-title win.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
-
Anthropic’s advances in coding and cybersecurity capabilities have rattled markets and also enticed new business customers.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
That’s because people could be persuaded to sell shares off to wealthy investors for a quicker payout, rather than holding on to them and letting their wealth compound.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
Amanda defended Cady when he was charged with the murder of his wife and unborn child, and ultimately persuaded him to take a plea deal.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tempted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempted. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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