attraction

American  

[uh-trak-shuhn] / əˈtræk ʃən /

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

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attraction British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• attractionally adverb
• reattraction noun
• superattraction noun

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.

Example Sentences

And no matter what happens with LIV, its marquee attraction is set to become a free agent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

I visited the exhibit and found a fascinating deep-dive not into our country’s history, but into how we remember it, including through the work of the dramatic interpreters that are the museum’s main attraction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Beyond the winning, Guerra cited Shohei Ohtani as a driving force behind the Dodgers’ popularity, and not just as a tourist attraction, merchandise driver, and the foremost product endorser in sports.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

But once it opened, it quickly became a popular tourist attraction.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Most people think the pagoda is a cute tourist attraction and a quirky addition to our otherwise boring little nowhere city.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King

Related Words

• allure
• appeal
• attractiveness
• interest