Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

alluring

American  
[uh-loor-ing] / əˈlʊər ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. very attractive or tempting; enticing; seductive.

  2. fascinating; charming.


alluring British  
/ əˈljʊərɪŋ, əˈlʊə- /

adjective

  1. enticing; fascinating; attractive

"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

Other Word Forms

  • alluringly adverb
  • alluringness noun
  • unalluring adjective
  • unalluringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of alluring

First recorded in 1525–35; allure + -ing 2

Explanation

Something alluring is attractive and enticing. Alluring things are tempting. You might notice the word lure lurking in alluring — that's because alluring things lure people in by getting them excited and inspiring desire. Sometimes that's in a romantic way, like when someone puts on an alluring perfume before a date. But a homemade chocolate cake would also be pretty alluring to a chocolate lover, just as free World Series tickets would be alluring to a baseball fan.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing alluring

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.

Venturing into this world as a teen had an alluring "cool" factor for Dr Aiqing Wang, now a senior lecturer in Chinese at the University of Liverpool.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

Add it all together and gold looks ever-more alluring.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

One travels to see alluring sights: I’ve had my eye on Mexico City for a long time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

But what begins as the sleazy and alluring tale of a man parachuting into self-destruction turns into an exploration of the transformative power of living in one’s true identity.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

The singing, thundering, magical words made her seem doubly dangerous, doubly alluring.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley