lure

American  

[loor] / lʊər /

noun

1. anything that attracts, entices, or allures.

   Synonyms:

   temptation

2. the power of attracting or enticing.

3. a decoy; live or especially artificial bait used in fishing or trapping.

4. Falconry. a feathered decoy for attracting a hawk, swung at the end of a long line and sometimes baited with raw meat.

5. a flap or tassel dangling from the dorsal fin of pediculate fishes, as the angler, that attracts prey to the mouth region.

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verb (used with object)

lured, luring

1. to attract, entice, or tempt; allure.

   Synonyms:

   seduce

   Antonyms:

   repel

2. to draw or recall (especially a falcon), as by a lure or decoy.

idioms

1. in lure, noting a pair of wings joined with the tips downward.

lure British  

/ lʊə /

verb

1. to tempt or attract by the promise of some type of reward

2. falconry to entice (a hawk or falcon) from the air to the falconer by a lure

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noun

1. a person or thing that lures

2. angling any of various types of brightly-coloured artificial spinning baits, usually consisting of a plastic or metal body mounted with hooks and trimmed with feathers, etc See jig plug spoon

3. falconry a feathered decoy to which small pieces of meat can be attached and which is equipped with a long thong

Other Word Forms

• lurement noun
• lurer noun
• luringly adverb
• unlured adjective

Etymology

Origin of lure

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French luere ( French leurre ), from Frankish lothr- (unrecorded); cognate with Middle High German luoder, German Luder “bait”

Example Sentences

Asked whether they've yet succumbed to the lure of artificial intelligence, Ms Harris responds with a firm denial.

From BBC

Its holiday arrival was eagerly anticipated by cinema owners still working to lure people back after the pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal

For struggling bricks-and-mortar chains, the experiences promise to lure consumers away from their screens, buoying sales at shops that have lost relevance—and revenue—in the age of e-commerce.

From The Wall Street Journal

Dickinson is among dozens of controllers from the U.S. leaving for jobs overseeing air traffic in Australia, lured by the prospects of a less stressful work environment.

From The Wall Street Journal

And some attendees were trying to lure those researchers away from Silicon Valley—to Wall Street.

From The Wall Street Journal