attraction
Americannoun
-
attractions
plural
-
the act, power, or property of attracting.
-
attractive quality; magnetic charm; fascination; allurement; enticement.
the subtle attraction of her strange personality.
-
a person or thing that draws, attracts, allures, or entices.
The main attraction was the after-dinner speaker.
-
a characteristic or quality that provides pleasure; attractive feature.
The chief attractions of the evening were the good drinks and witty conversation.
-
Physics. the electric or magnetic force that acts between oppositely charged bodies, tending to draw them together.
-
an entertainment offered to the public.
noun
-
the act, power, or quality of attracting
-
a person or thing that attracts or is intended to attract
-
a force by which one object attracts another, such as the gravitational or electrostatic force
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Structure and Properties of Matter - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Physics - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 real attraction of professional sports is it seems somewhat recession-proof,” said James Adams, director of CFA program curriculum and an adjunct professor at New York University.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
The birds, in turn, are accustomed to floodlights for the "penguin parade" tourist attraction, as well as being periodically handled by veterinarian scientists for monitoring of their health.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Biggam said that since the arrest, MacPherson had "continued to go about his business and had not been any centre of attraction in the community, as is his way."
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Depending on its value, that effect can produce either attraction or repulsion.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026
As the mountain’s rumblings grew St. Helens became a tourist attraction for the world.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
At last, part of the Lincoln Memorial undercroft opened to the public earlier this summer, immediately taking its place as one of Washington’s most breathtaking attractions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
In the last few years, Disney increasingly has leveraged the firm’s technology across its divisions, from theme park attractions to film and television production.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
The works are a reminder of Banksy's continuing influence more than three decades after he first became known in Bristol, where surviving murals remain among the city's best-known tourist attractions.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Its completion followed two years of consultation between Schwimmer and Triebold Paleontology Inc., a company that creates fossil skeleton models for museums, universities and attractions around the world.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026
“Yes. First off, neither of us is Christian. Second off, spending the summer chasing after idiotic roadside attractions is not going to fix anything. Third off, crucifixes remind me of her.”
From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
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.
