intrigue
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to arouse the curiosity or interest of by unusual, new, or otherwise fascinating or compelling qualities; appeal strongly to; captivate.
The plan intrigues me, but I wonder if it will work.
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to achieve or earn by appealing to another's curiosity, fancy, or interest.
to intrigue one's way into another's notice.
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to draw or capture.
Her interest was intrigued by the strange symbol.
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to accomplish or force by crafty plotting or underhand machinations.
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Obsolete. to entangle.
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Obsolete. to trick or cheat.
verb (used without object)
noun
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the use of underhand machinations or deceitful stratagems.
- Synonyms:
- manipulation
-
such a machination or stratagem or a series of them; a plot or crafty dealing.
political intrigues.
- Synonyms:
- manipulation
-
a secret or illicit love affair.
-
the series of complications forming the plot of a play.
verb
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(tr) to make interested or curious
I'm intrigued by this case, Watson
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(intr) to make secret plots or employ underhand methods; conspire
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to carry on a clandestine love affair
noun
-
the act or an instance of secret plotting, etc
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a clandestine love affair
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the quality of arousing interest or curiosity; beguilement
Synonym Usage
See conspiracy.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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intriguesimple
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intriguessimple
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have intriguedperfect
-
has intriguedperfect
-
am intriguingprogressive
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are intriguingprogressive
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is intriguingprogressive
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have been intriguingperfect progressive
-
has been intriguingperfect progressive
Past
-
intriguedsimple
-
had intriguedperfect
-
was intriguingprogressive
-
were intriguingprogressive
-
had been intriguingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of intrigue
First recorded in 1640–50; from French intriguer, from Italian intrigare, from Latin intrīcāre “to entangle”; see intricate
Explanation
An intrigue is a secret plot. If you ever become the monarch of a small island kingdom, keep watch for signs of any intrigue against you. Intrigue comes from the Latin verb intricare, "to entangle," and is related to intricate. It can be a noun, meaning "underhanded plot," or a verb for the act of plotting. Agents of two opposing powers intrigue against each other. In the late 19th century it also came to mean the feeling of curiosity or interest. If someone's ideas intrigue you, you want to know more about them.
Vocabulary lists containing intrigue
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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:
“What, in an ordinary family, is called a Sunday is called an intrigue in ours,” Arnault wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
That doesn’t save “Cape Fear” from being a 10-hour slog set to an imitation of Bernard Herrmann’s anxiety-inducing score, but it does lend a little intrigue to Antosca and Bardem’s interpretation of Max.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
“The first intrigue is finding out who Dan Tana is,” says Johnson.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Former United teammates have also expressed intrigue and amusement at their one-time skipper's new career path.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
The Confederate president had set aside more than $1 million in gold to pay for acts of espionage and intrigue against the Union and kept a portion of the money in Canada.
From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly
Hawk and Pína present a noticeably different picture of a relationship than most rom-coms offer — a kinetic, unpredictable spark that fuels the movie’s uncertainty and intrigues the audience tenfold.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
If the idea of moving into a university retirement community intrigues you, take these steps before signing a contract:
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 10, 2026
The reader’s patience pays off, however: Soon the plot becomes more intricate and the intrigues become truly threatening.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2025
The author's best-selling biographies have a habit of changing the reputation of famous figures, such as establishing the Nazi intrigues around the Duke of Windsor, the former Edward VIII.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2025
Find something, that intrigues you and study it with all your heart!
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
I was so intrigued I called Elliott to hear more.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
It’s bold, a little funky, and exactly the kind of recipe that makes people either immediately intrigued or deeply skeptical.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
The 67-year-old said he made a point of visiting Wattana Panich while on vacation, intrigued by the longevity of the mother stock, which he likened to caring for a sourdough starter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
Jones was intrigued by Pints and Ponytails as he’s battled the hair-care needs of his 2 ½-year-old daughter, Noa, and her textured, curly locks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
I had not been particularly bent on taking Greek, but what Laforgue said intrigued me.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
It is intriguing that Burnham says this came up on Makerfield doorstep, as is the fact that significant unions now prioritise a policy that affects their members on or around £50,000 a year.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Discount brokers don’t like to talk about how many customers defy the odds, but Peterffy’s firm provided an intriguing clue via an advertisement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
A brisk walk through this year’s picks with intriguing bloodlines:
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
These results make HTR2B an intriguing possible drug target, but the compound is not an approved treatment for heart valve disease.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
When Soma first approached me with the idea it was still just an intriguing notion.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
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.
