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Synonyms

allure

American  
[uh-loor] / əˈlʊər /

verb (used with object)

allures, present (3rd person singular) allured, past participle, past alluring present participle
  1. to attract or tempt by something flattering or desirable.

    Synonyms:
    lure, entice
  2. to fascinate; charm.

    Synonyms:
    captivate, entrance, enchant

verb (used without object)

allures, present (3rd person singular) allured, past participle, past alluring present participle
  1. to be attractive or tempting.

noun

allures plural
  1. fascination; charm; appeal.

    Synonyms:
    attraction, glamour
allure British  
/ əˈlʊə, əˈljʊə /

verb

  1. (tr) to entice or tempt (someone) to a person or place or to a course of action; attract

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. attractiveness; appeal

    the cottage's allure was its isolation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Etymology

Origin of allure

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English aluren, from Middle French alurer, from a- a- 5 + lurer “to lure”; see lure

Explanation

Something that has allure is powerfully attractive and tempting. A career in Hollywood might have great allure to a teenager who loves acting. You've probably noticed that allure contains lure, from the German word luder meaning "bait." A well-made lure is so alluring to a fish that it won't notice the hook. First used in the 15th century, this word has even landed its own fashion magazine — Allure, which tries to tempt people to buy it by putting powerfully attractive people on the cover and hoping you'll believe that if you buy it, you'll have some allure as well.

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Vocabulary lists containing allure

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.

The allure of rockets, orbital data centers and Mars colonies has led many investors to completely disregard traditional valuation models when it comes to SpaceX.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026

The shiny trappings are just part of the allure of the 58-year-old venue.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

As movie studios merge, budgets shrink and big jobs dry up, outside jobs are a financial reality for talent—and some present a hard-to-resist seven- or eight-figure allure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

The allure of this assignment, in her home city, is undeniable.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

It wasn’t only the size of the hoard that gave the Trove its allure, it was the mystery of its disappearance and the desolation of what had happened when it was lost.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

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