attraction
Americannoun
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the act, power, or property of attracting.
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attractive quality; magnetic charm; fascination; allurement; enticement.
the subtle attraction of her strange personality.
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a person or thing that draws, attracts, allures, or entices.
The main attraction was the after-dinner speaker.
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a characteristic or quality that provides pleasure; attractive feature.
The chief attractions of the evening were the good drinks and witty conversation.
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Physics. the electric or magnetic force that acts between oppositely charged bodies, tending to draw them together.
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an entertainment offered to the public.
noun
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the act, power, or quality of attracting
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a person or thing that attracts or is intended to attract
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a force by which one object attracts another, such as the gravitational or electrostatic force
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a change in the form of one linguistic element caused by the proximity of another element
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of attraction
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English attraccioun, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin attractiōn-, stem of attractiō; equivalent to attract + -ion
Explanation
The charm or special quality of something that draws you to it is its attraction. The attraction of a college might be its sports program, for example, or the attraction of a job might be its high pay. An attraction can be a physical force as well as a psychological one — though sometimes, as with love, it can be hard to tell the two apart. Planets have a gravitational attraction to each other, as do opposite magnetic poles. Attraction can also refer to a public entertainment, such as a popular place or a performer or event. You might line up to visit a tourist attraction, or look forward to seeing the main attraction go onstage.
Vocabulary lists containing attraction
Electricity and Magnetism - Introductory
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Structure and Properties of Matter - Middle School
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Physics - Introductory
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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:
The temporary 15% VAT reduction applies to family attraction tickets, children's meals and cinema tickets until September.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
The historic El Escorial monastery -- a major tourist attraction -- was shrouded in a grayish, smoke-filled mist.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
Operational sound, such as those from an attraction, are classified differently than “impulsive noise,” such as a gunshot from a film production.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Users can make one reservation when they enter the park, but then must wait until they get to that attraction, or two hours have passed, to make the next one.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
The humanities and amenities of life had no attraction for him—its peaceful enjoyments no charm.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Over the years Universal has been required to make alterations to its attractions, such as replacing some live special effects in its “Waterworld” show with prerecorded digital tracks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Members can now exchange their credits for tickets to Legoland, SeaWorld, Kennedy Space Center, some zoos and other attractions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
It says it has also provided discounts on attractions and meals for families, as well as £13m "to help local councils offer more childcare places".
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
The zoo's call for changes to apps was backed at the time by more than 80 attractions including the Eden Project, RHS Gardens, Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Blenheim Palace.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
The grave, now with a two-foot-high plain marble stone, had become one of Iceland’s sightseeing attractions.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions 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.
