tempting 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of temptingnext
as in enticing

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tempting

2 of 3

noun

as in seduction

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tempting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of tempt
1
as in luring
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in risking
to take a chance on refusing to lay in enough food for the long winter tempts the dangers of starvation

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tempting
Adjective
Either way, some seriously tempting TV deals are already live. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026 One of the most tempting approaches to AI governance is to focus primarily on accuracy. — Jayasri Ranganathan, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
In the same way that Christ fasted to resist the tempting of the biblical adversary, many Christians are also called to fast and give up the temptations of their daily lives during Lent. — Rin Velasco, The Providence Journal, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Be honest about what’s irritating or tempting you, because something’s got to give! — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 As the attacker brings the ball forward, Tielemans, from a screening role, bides his time, tempting the attacker forward before jumping in to win the ball. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tempting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempting
  1. enticing
  2. seduction
  3. luring
  4. risking
  5. tantalizing
  6. exhortation
  7. seducing
  8. alluring
Adjective
  • Ultimately, automakers are racing toward more advanced tech, not only to make their vehicles more enticing, but also to leverage subscription fees customers will pay to have the technology onboard.
    — Alexa St. John, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Still, that’s a lot of hours in the air, making upgrading to business class all the more enticing.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of enticing
Noun
  • In this seduction, in a text that manages to be both grandiose and intimate, Rice works the mysterious alchemy of creating permanence.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Collections this week were versatile, taking the client from day to evening with a sense of seduction and confidence.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of seduction
Verb
  • Neighbors said the man began kicking and mistreating the dog before eventually luring the husky away from the yard with food.
    — Hunter Sowards, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Popular at American Chinese or Cajun-style Chinese restaurants, the sticky-sweet chicken is the utter definition of delicious, luring weary shoppers into food courts to find refuge from the bubblegum pink sweatpants and ripped denim.
    — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of luring
Verb
  • As her brother Aldwin’s mental health deteriorates, Lil considers risking her future to travel to him.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Critics say the process requires documents that are confusing and difficult to obtain, risking the exclusion of millions of eligible voters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of risking
Adjective
  • Part of the fun was a scavenger hunt with a tantalizing list of items to collect.
    — Kerry Kennedy, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
  • And there is mounting evidence that markets have begun to push the tantalizing idea of AI beyond its limits.
    — RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of tantalizing
Noun
  • Duckworth also faced backlash from critics who argued that her message was, at best, a series of hollow exhortations to simply try harder and, at worst, an insidious form of victim-blaming that ignored structural inequality.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • His character is a severe, hectoring figure; his lessons amount to an exhortation to be as mean as possible when money is concerned.
    — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhortation
Verb
  • Adva Lavie, an OnlyFans model, already is facing criminal charges in Los Angeles County for allegedly seducing and stealing from rich men.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Still, with more than 40,000 industry jobs lost in the past few years, soundstages and vendor storefronts sitting empty, and lucrative overseas incentives seducing even more production away, things are bleak in town right now.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of seducing
Adjective
  • But for me, the thought of sipping a soothingly cold drink on the porch outside my villa is even more alluring.
    — Charukesi Ramadurai, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Like its agricultural and horticultural counterparts, the monoculture of era-defining music, TV and movies seemed alluring on the surface.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of alluring

Browse Nearby Words

tempters
tempting
temptingly
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Cite this Entry

“Tempting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempting. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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