attraction

[uh-trak-shuhn]

noun

1. the act, power, or property of attracting.

2. attractive quality; magnetic charm; fascination; allurement; enticement.

   the subtle attraction of her strange personality.

   Synonyms: lure, appeal

3. a person or thing that draws, attracts, allures, or entices.

   The main attraction was the after-dinner speaker.

4. a characteristic or quality that provides pleasure; attractive feature.

   The chief attractions of the evening were the good drinks and witty conversation.

5. Physics.,  the electric or magnetic force that acts between oppositely charged bodies, tending to draw them together.

6. an entertainment offered to the public.

   Synonyms: spectacle, show

attraction

/ əˈtrækʃən /

noun

1. the act, power, or quality of attracting

2. a person or thing that attracts or is intended to attract

3. a force by which one object attracts another, such as the gravitational or electrostatic force

4. a change in the form of one linguistic element caused by the proximity of another element

Other Word Forms

• attractionally adverb
• reattraction noun
• superattraction noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of attraction¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English attraccioun, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin attractiōn-, stem of attractiō; equivalent to attract + -ion

Example Sentences

This year, the show went on, though without what many believe is the main attraction.

From Los Angeles Times

She was the star attraction at the annual gathering of media moguls in Sun Valley, Idaho.

From Los Angeles Times

The action is naturally adjusted for modern technology — of course, one of the attractions of the earlier and period series is that there is none.

From Los Angeles Times

Some federal attractions closed to visitors while others, including the Statue of Liberty, stayed open.

From BBC

I’ve spent the past 10 years working in the “haunted attraction industry,” a surprisingly booming economy built for people who love nothing more than to have their socks scared off.

From Salon

Related Words

• allure 
• appeal 
• attractiveness 
• interest