lure

American  

[loor] / lʊər /

noun

1. anything that attracts, entices, or allures.

   Synonyms:

   temptation

2. the power of attracting or enticing.

3. a decoy; live or especially artificial bait used in fishing or trapping.

4. Falconry. a feathered decoy for attracting a hawk, swung at the end of a long line and sometimes baited with raw meat.

5. a flap or tassel dangling from the dorsal fin of pediculate fishes, as the angler, that attracts prey to the mouth region.

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verb (used with object)

lured, luring

1. to attract, entice, or tempt; allure.

   Synonyms:

   seduce

   Antonyms:

   repel

2. to draw or recall (especially a falcon), as by a lure or decoy.

idioms

1. in lure, noting a pair of wings joined with the tips downward.

lure British  

/ lʊə /

verb

1. to tempt or attract by the promise of some type of reward

2. falconry to entice (a hawk or falcon) from the air to the falconer by a lure

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noun

1. a person or thing that lures

2. angling any of various types of brightly-coloured artificial spinning baits, usually consisting of a plastic or metal body mounted with hooks and trimmed with feathers, etc See jig plug spoon

3. falconry a feathered decoy to which small pieces of meat can be attached and which is equipped with a long thong

Other Word Forms

• lurement noun
• lurer noun
• luringly adverb
• unlured adjective

Etymology

Origin of lure

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French luere ( French leurre ), from Frankish lothr- (unrecorded); cognate with Middle High German luoder, German Luder “bait”

Example Sentences

Russia sought to lure investment, taking advantage of a decade of relative freedom.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The tools tested by AFP sought to lure students and academics as clients, with two of them claiming their users came from top institutions such as Cornell University.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

There are no worms in it, though viral video plays a part, and fame — the pursuit of which is a subject — is a lure.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

Nevertheless, it remains a lure for the very top players, while the monetary benefits that stem from qualifying for the tournament will help ease the financial burden on paying for such stars.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

I warn Ronan, “Be careful. She may have a lure or hook on that thing.”

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt