tantalize
verb (used with object)
to torment with, or as if with, the sight of something desired but out of reach; tease by arousing expectations that are repeatedly disappointed.
are tantalizing
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present progressiveof tantalize.present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
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.
“There are tantalizing signs that businesses are starting to pull the trigger on new hires,” said Scott Anderson, chief U.S. economist at BMO Capital Markets.
From MarketWatch ● May 2, 2026
Parlays are tantalizing, and we as a sports betting public totally suck at them, making them a great profit-driver for sportsbooks.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2024
However, such implants are tantalizing surfaces for bacterial colonies to form and often cause difficult-to-treat infections.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2022
The early results are tantalizing: The samples include at least two new species of marine bacteria, Pseudonocardia abyssalis and Pseudonocardia oceani, that produce antimicrobial compounds.
From Scientific American ● Aug. 27, 2022
Such studies are tantalizing but severely limited, for they can’t explain why DeShawn didn’t get the call.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
