attractive
Americanadjective
-
providing pleasure or delight, especially in appearance or manner; pleasing; charming; alluring.
an attractive personality.
-
arousing interest or engaging one's thought, consideration, etc.: an attractive price.
an attractive idea;
an attractive price.
-
having the quality of attracting.
adjective
-
appealing to the senses or mind through beauty, form, character, etc
-
arousing interest
an attractive opportunity
-
possessing the ability to draw or pull
an attractive force
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of attractive
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English attractif, attractive, (from Middle French at(t)ractif ), from Late Latin attractīvus “(of a medicine) having drawing power, absorptive,” derivative of attractus , “drawn, contracted,” see attract, -ive
Explanation
Anybody or anything that's attractive is visually pleasing or draws you in. Being attractive has to do with attracting others, one way or another. If you're talking about a magnet, that's a literal, physical kind of attraction. For people, being attractive usually means you're beautiful or handsome enough to pull in the attention of others. But having a great personality or a good job are attractive traits, too. If someone offered to give you something valuable for a good price, you could also say, "That's an attractive offer" — meaning it's tempting.
Vocabulary lists containing attractive
Structure and Properties of Matter - Middle School
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 - Introductory
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!
Structure and Properties of Matter - High School
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.
His reasoning is threefold: Attractive growth in its upstream portfolio, operational momentum in its refining business, and its attractive capital allocation program.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
Attractive valuations aren’t the only reasons Big Tech stocks could jump back into the lead in the coming months.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026
Attractive women started showing up in summer 2024 at a fertility clinic in southern Moscow in response to an unusual marketing campaign: free sperm.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025
Attractive pricing is also crucial – particularly in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis when it can be difficult to prioritise sustainability over cost.
From Salon • Aug. 8, 2024
He’d been dreaming of a fancy ceremony for the Most Attractive Musk Ox Award, and just as he was about to receive the first place statuette, Duane came barging onstage.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
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.
