attractive
Americanadjective
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providing pleasure or delight, especially in appearance or manner; pleasing; charming; alluring.
an attractive personality.
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arousing interest or engaging one's thought, consideration, etc.: an attractive price.
an attractive idea;
an attractive price.
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having the quality of attracting.
adjective
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appealing to the senses or mind through beauty, form, character, etc
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arousing interest
an attractive opportunity
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possessing the ability to draw or pull
an attractive force
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of attractive
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English attractif, attractive, (from Middle French at(t)ractif ), from Late Latin attractīvus “(of a medicine) having drawing power, absorptive,” derivative of attractus , “drawn, contracted,” see attract, -ive
Explanation
Anybody or anything that's attractive is visually pleasing or draws you in. Being attractive has to do with attracting others, one way or another. If you're talking about a magnet, that's a literal, physical kind of attraction. For people, being attractive usually means you're beautiful or handsome enough to pull in the attention of others. But having a great personality or a good job are attractive traits, too. If someone offered to give you something valuable for a good price, you could also say, "That's an attractive offer" — meaning it's tempting.
Vocabulary lists containing attractive
Structure and Properties of Matter - Middle School
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Structure and Properties of Matter - Introductory
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Positive Words to Describe People, List 2
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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.
“This supports our view heading into October that back-end yields were likely approaching a peak, and that the equal weight S&P was the more attractive expression of the broadening trade.”
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
Amazon Chief Executive Andy Jassy told analysts during its earnings call Thursday that the company expects “to spend meaningfully more in 2027 with a clear line of sight to attractive financial returns.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
The cheapest petrol-powered car in his showroom costs more than $12,000, while the electric cars start at $9,000, making them an increasingly attractive choice.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
Teru Oshima, the founder of Oshimaland, says that in the past such properties were "not very attractive options" in Japan.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
Years ago, in an old notebook, I wrote: “One of Julian’s most attractive qualities is his inability to see anyone, or anything, in its true light.”
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
