tempt
Americanverb (used with object)
-
tempts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
tempted,
past participle, past
-
tempting
present participle
-
to entice or allure to do something often regarded as unwise, wrong, or immoral.
-
to attract, appeal strongly to, or invite.
The offer tempts me.
-
to render strongly disposed to do something.
The book tempted me to read more on the subject.
-
to put (someone) to the test in a venturesome way; provoke.
to tempt one's fate.
-
Obsolete. to try or test.
verb
-
to attempt to persuade or entice to do something, esp something morally wrong or unwise
-
to allure, invite, or attract
-
to give rise to a desire in (someone) to do something; dispose
their unfriendliness tempted me to leave the party
-
to risk provoking (esp in the phrase tempt fate )
Synonym Usage
Tempt, seduce may both mean to allure or entice to something unwise or wicked. To tempt is to attract by holding out the probability of gratification or advantage, often in the direction of that which is wrong or unwise: to tempt a man with a bribe. To seduce is literally to lead astray, sometimes from that which absorbs one or demands attention, but oftener, in a moral sense, from rectitude, chastity, etc.: to seduce a person away from loyalty.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
tempternoun
-
pretemptverb (used with object)
-
supertemptverb (used with object)
-
self-temptedadjective
-
temptableadjective
-
untemptableadjective
-
untemptedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
temptsimple
-
temptssimple
-
have temptedperfect
-
has temptedperfect
-
am temptingprogressive
-
are temptingprogressive
-
is temptingprogressive
-
have been temptingperfect progressive
-
has been temptingperfect progressive
Past
-
temptedsimple
-
had temptedperfect
-
was temptingprogressive
-
were temptingprogressive
-
had been temptingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tempt
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English from Latin temptāre “to probe, feel, test, tempt”
Explanation
To tempt is to lure or entice. You might tempt your runaway dog back inside with pieces of cheese. The verb tempt often has negative implications: "Don't let those bullies tempt you into picking on smaller kids!" When something tempts you, it's often with the knowledge that it's not the best idea, however attractive it might be. Tempt was originally a religious term, meaning "to entice to evil or sin," while today it's more likely to be a slice of cake that tempts us than the devil.
Vocabulary lists containing tempt
Achievement First 5th Grade IA 1 Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Other Words for Home
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Promises to Keep
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Whether Apple has a killer app to tempt buyers is a question.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
I’d only buy into this IPO and hold on to the stock if I thought Oura could either beat its massive competitors or perhaps tempt them to buy it out.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
The only thing that would tempt me back into management would be lightning striking for a third time — to see James, to see Linda, then to see somebody comparably brilliant, which I occasionally do.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
The menu is designed for sharing, though a few dishes may tempt you to keep them to yourself.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
“That won’t do either. The only one of us who has the slightest interest in food is Orgoch. And I’m sure your wallet holds nothing to tempt her.”
From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander
Or is there a flood of anguish that leaves his position untenable and tempts one of the challengers to go for it?
From BBC ● May 10, 2026
Wigler noted that the promise of hitting goals fast with AI tempts tech start-up teams already prone to long workdays to lose track of time and stay on the job even deeper into the night.
From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026
But this is a delicate business, and the administration tempts chaos unless it learns to exercise its power with a lot more finesse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
The sunk-cost fallacy tempts people to pay escalating premiums because they’ve paid for so long.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 15, 2025
“The devil tempts him more than other men,” Emily said.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
He was wary of wading back into war, and tempted to try to build a life elsewhere.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
If a model winds up causing a big problem in your life, you might feel tempted to blame the billionaire humans behind it.
From Slate ● Oct. 14, 2026
Cassel said he had been tempted because like Napoleon he has Corsican roots.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
In the power station's control room, the link to the Palace had been discreetly labelled as "Carnaby Street", in case any intruders had ever been tempted to switch off the Palace lights.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
By making her tóshchíín, he hoped she might be tempted to eat and regain her strength.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
If you find yourself with money troubles, it can be tempting to seize any opportunity to get things back on track.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
Be careful about comparing household finances with government finances, even if it’s a tempting comparison.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
In the sneaker business, it can be tempting for fast-moving brands to flood the market with shoes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
It can be tempting to describe these well-meaning characters as everyday people trying to do their best.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
It was going to be tempting to hitch a ride, but he knew from experience what an easy target they would be from the air.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
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.
