attractive
Americanadjective
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providing pleasure or delight, especially in appearance or manner; pleasing; charming; alluring.
an attractive personality.
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arousing interest or engaging one's thought, consideration, etc.: an attractive price.
an attractive idea;
an attractive price.
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having the quality of attracting.
adjective
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appealing to the senses or mind through beauty, form, character, etc
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arousing interest
an attractive opportunity
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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
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Structure and Properties of Matter - Introductory
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Structure and Properties of Matter - High School
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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.
The valuation of the operator of Frankfurt Airport is attractive, as free-cash-flow is boosted by higher pricing and lower capital expenditure, the analysts add.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
A pullback into the $545-to-$550 range over the coming weeks—12% below current levels—would represent a more attractive area to reassess and potentially re-enter on the long side.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
In Chatterjee’s view, both optical suppliers look more attractive than before, and upside will likely continue for CPO and other optical-networking components that the companies offer.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
These prolonged dry periods reduced water availability and made locations without dependable water sources less attractive for large-scale hunting activities.
From Science Daily • Jun. 11, 2026
They had said this to her as if outlining the terms of a job offer, laying out the benefits package in the most attractive way.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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.
