temptation
Americannoun
-
the act of tempting; enticement or allurement.
- Synonyms:
- inducement, seduction, pull, attraction, lure
-
something that tempts, entices, or allures.
-
the fact or state of being tempted, especially to evil.
-
an instance of this.
-
(initial capital letter) the temptation of Christ by Satan. Matthew 4.
noun
-
the act of tempting or the state of being tempted
-
a person or thing that tempts
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of temptation
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English temptacion, from Latin temptātiōn- (stem of temptātiō ) “a testing”; see tempt, -ation
Explanation
Temptation is something you want to have or to do, even though you know you shouldn't. That bag of peanut butter cups on top of your fridge might be an example of a temptation. The thing that you want despite knowing it's not good for you — like the cool sneakers you really can't afford — is a temptation. The feeling is also a temptation — so wanting those shoes is temptation. The Latin word temptare, or to taste, is where temptation comes from, which makes a lot of sense when you think of that bag of peanut butter cups calling to you from the kitchen.
Vocabulary lists containing temptation
Bridge to Terabithia
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Brown Girl Dreaming
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A Long Way from Chicago
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But we should eschew the temptation to treat Kirkmeyer like a reasonable person.
From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026
But "the temptation to declare vacancy will always be there," political scientist Fernando Tuesta told AFP.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
While both these approaches would almost certainly run afoul of labor laws, the new tax law has introduced a temptation that simply wasn’t there before.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026
Ibsen admits the amount of FPL content he consumed "grew more and more" as the season went on, but says he resisted the temptation to turn to AI for help.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
Francie held the books close and hurried home, resisting the temptation to sit on the first stoop she came to, to start reading.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
