enticing
Americanadjective
Usage
What does enticing mean? Enticing means having the effect of attracting, tempting, or drawing people in.Things that are described as enticing produce desire or attraction. The word is especially used to describe things that appeal to the senses. But something can be enticing for other reasons, as in The job offer was enticing due to the big salary increase, but I didn’t think the work would be fulfilling. The adjective enticing comes from the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb entice, meaning to attract, allure, or tempt. (Entice is sometimes confused with the verb incite, which means to encourage, urge, prompt, or provoke someone to do something, especially something bad. Incite is usually used more negatively than entice.)Something that’s described as enticing is viewed as positive and desirous by the person whom it has enticed, but the word itself sometimes implies that such a thing serves to tempt people to do something that perhaps they shouldn’t, as in That chocolate is enticing, but I vowed to give up sweets for a while.Example: The enticing aroma of the roasted nuts draws people to the street cart.
Other Word Forms
- enticingly adverb
- enticingness noun
- nonenticing adjective
- nonenticingly adverb
- unenticing adjective
Etymology
Origin of enticing
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.
Gulf assets are an enticing target for Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
She spoke of pastry shops selling sweets so enticing that barely any survived the trip home.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
However, the prospect of leading Wales at Euro 2028 – which they will co-host with England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland – is so enticing that Bellamy feels he cannot walk away yet.
From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026
The company is investing billions to improve stores and the company’s technology, and is working to offer more enticing products.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
“As enticing as you make that sound,” he said, “my shift doesn’t end for another half hour.”
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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.
