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
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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
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attracting
present participle
verb
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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 reward program is part of an effort to make sure EY continues to attract talent in a rapidly changing market, the firm says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
The other is that the level of football might not attract him quite so much.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
He welcomed the United States acting as a "guarantor" for investments in Venezuela, which has failed to attract significant capital for more than a decade.
From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026
Lubricants rarely attract much attention, but they are essential to modern machinery.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026
How some of them used bait, like a glowing orb, to attract their prey.
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
Weather trading has drawn attention—both good and bad—as it attracts more users.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Organisers say the event attracts 2,000 players from 100 countries, with some of the world's top esports stars among them.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
When we offer supplementary food, such as seeds or meat scraps, this attracts birds of many different species in a combination and number that would not happen in nature.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
It helps them hide if needed, it blinds predators and attracts like minds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
My announcement attracts so little attention that I have to repeat it: “Will you listen to me? I’m a writer and I’m going to write a book about this place. ”
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
With the decline of logging and cannabis as livelihoods, they see income from tourists attracted by ultramarathons, mushroom foraging and other outdoor activities as a financial savior.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
The number of followers that Apple’s new CEO John Ternus attracted within three hours of creating a profile on X yesterday, his first day on the job.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Bond ETFs listed in the U.S. attracted $55 billion in new money in August, bringing year-to-date inflows to $407 billion.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Meanwhile, trendy quantitative trading strategies have attracted growing interest from major asset allocators and institutions.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 30, 2026
The birdlime had entangled a few queleas and a mouse that had been attracted by their fluttering.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
However, fungi-related content continues to grow in popularity on social media, with posts showcasing unusual mushrooms and foraging finds attracting large audiences.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
The effort is attracting customers like Lexi Carman, who recently drove 30 minutes from Beecher, Ill., to bring her two kids and two nieces to the Schererville location.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
The two-part adaptation of “It” aired on ABC in November 1990, and drew a huge audience, attracting a reported 30 million viewers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
It "opens a major and long-awaited door to strengthening Syria's integration into the global economic and financial system, attracting investment and modern technologies, and supporting development opportunities."
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
Naturally, strawberry plants didn’t set out with a conscious intent of attracting birds when, and only when, their seeds were ready to be dispersed.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
