attract
Americanverb (used with object)
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attracts,
present (3rd person singular)
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attracted,
past participle, past
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attracting
present participle
-
to draw by a physical force causing or tending to cause to approach, adhere, or unite; pull (opposed to repel).
The gravitational force of the earth attracts smaller bodies to it.
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to draw by appealing to the emotions or senses, by stimulating interest, or by exciting admiration; allure; invite.
to attract attention; to attract admirers by one's charm.
verb (used without object)
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attracts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
attracted,
past participle, past
-
attracting
present participle
verb
-
to draw (notice, a crowd of observers, etc) to oneself by conspicuous behaviour or appearance (esp in the phrase attract attention )
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(also intr) to exert a force on (a body) that tends to cause an approach or oppose a separation
the gravitational pull of the earth attracts objects to it
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to possess some property that pulls or draws (something) towards itself
jam attracts wasps
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(also intr) to exert a pleasing, alluring, or fascinating influence (upon); be attractive (to)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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attractablenessnoun
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attracternoun
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attractornoun
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reattractverb (used with object)
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attractableadjective
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unattractableadjective
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unattractedadjective
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unattractingadjective
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attractinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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attractsimple
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attractssimple
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have attractedperfect
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has attractedperfect
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am attractingprogressive
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are attractingprogressive
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is attractingprogressive
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have been attractingperfect progressive
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has been attractingperfect progressive
Past
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attractedsimple
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had attractedperfect
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was attractingprogressive
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were attractingprogressive
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had been attractingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of attract
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin attractus “drawn toward,” past participle of attrahere “to draw toward,” from at- at- + trahere “to draw, drag, pull”
Explanation
To attract is to exert a force that draws something in, like the way a magnet attracts a paper clip. You might know the phrase, "opposites attract." This means you might be drawn to a personality type that is completely unlike yours. With attract comes the sense that the pull you feel towards someone or something is not entirely voluntary. It's quite possible to say that you are attracted to someone, but you don't really like them. Low prices can attract buyers into a store they would not normally go into, and standing on a street corner screaming loudly will probably attract quite a bit of attention, but not the good kind.
Vocabulary lists containing attract
Electricity and Magnetism - Introductory
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"Return to Titanic" and "Talking with Robert Ballard"
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Force, Motion, and Energy
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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 breakthrough involves pushing ultracold cesium atoms far beyond their normal conditions by repeatedly changing how strongly they attract or repel one another.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026
That store tended to attract customers from neighboring states like Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ohio.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
On Friday, streets were quiet in Bend, an area known for its natural beauty, with hiking trails and ski slopes nearby that attract tens of thousands of visitors every year.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
The 66-year-old took over The Royal Mail Cart pub in Spalding, in August 2025, hoping to attract customers with live music nights and "a sense of community".
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
It occurred to her that the sounds might attract predators, and so she dragged unburned chunks of wood together and rekindled them with the still-hot coals.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
The niche, sometimes unbelievable drama of this community attracts rubberneckers who’ve never even attempted German short rows or an Italian bind-off in their lives.
From Slate ● Oct. 11, 2026
The city also attracts about 1.7 million overseas visitors each year.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Famed for its puffins, the picture-perfect island of Lundy attracts birdwatchers from all over.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Stone attracts a lot of attention for her tender age and lavishly produced content.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
The slightly meaty odor of morels attracts flies, which lay eggs in the safety of the mushroom’s hollow stalk.
From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan
Reed’s online petition has attracted the attention of city Controller Kenneth Mejia, who said last week that he would investigate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
At a public event in August his presence attracted the rage of an Israel-hater.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
This approach has attracted growing interest because it may reduce the need for some of the chemical oxidizing and reducing agents commonly used in traditional manufacturing.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
The fund aimed to raise $1 billion a year from corporations for conservation in developing countries but so far has attracted just $6,000.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
Today, alas, you have to squint, and pretty hard at that, to get any notion of the tranquil beauty that attracted Innes.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
But in recent years the world’s largest toy maker has expanded its reach, attracting more adults, teenagers and girls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
Martha’s Vineyard, long known for attracting celebrities, has become the inevitable butt of memes as it battles the hostile arachnids.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's right-wing government has prioritised attracting data centre investments to the Nordic country, which is grappling with record-high unemployment and sluggish economic growth.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
Cartier’s sales have been booming as the brand does a good job of attracting customers at different ends of the income spectrum, which might now be the key to success in a K-shaped economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
But Cora asked everyone on the farm sooner or later, the farm being its own kind of depot, attracting people who were between places.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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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.
