Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

attraction

American  
[uh-trak-shuhn] / əˈtræk ʃən /

noun

  • attractions
    plural
  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 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing attraction

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:

Grey Oaks Country Club in Naples, Fla., where Butler previously served as general manager, opened in 1993 with golf as its main attraction.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

Gold has also been under pressure as higher yields and a strong U.S. dollar reduce the attraction of holding nonyielding assets like precious metals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

The attraction has been based at Albert Dock since 1990.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

There’s honestly nothing better than a Sunday afternoon nap, so that would be a big attraction for me.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

But it isn’t attraction; it’s because I feel sorry for what I’m about to do.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

The tower’s location will also place residents within walking distance of the upscale boutiques, restaurants, and cultural attractions that have helped transform the surrounding neighborhood into one of Miami’s most sought-after destinations.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026

Another way to draw visitors is to highlight the valley's natural attractions and its food and hotel offerings.

From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026

“Tell me about it,” said Los Angeles City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who noted that Disney imagineer Bob Gurr, who helped design the monorail and other iconic Disneyland attractions, lives in her district.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily closed similar attractions across our parks,” a Six Flags spokesperson said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The shadows grew long as we walked through the park, checking out the attractions.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training