seduce
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to lead astray, as from duty, rectitude, or the like; corrupt.
- Antonyms:
- repel
-
to persuade or induce to have sexual intercourse.
-
to lead or draw away, as from principles, faith, or allegiance.
He was seduced by the prospect of gain.
-
to win over; attract; entice.
a supermarket seducing customers with special sales.
verb
-
to persuade to engage in sexual intercourse
-
to lead astray, as from the right action
-
to win over, attract, or lure
Usage
What does seduce mean? To seduce someone is to make them want to engage in sexual activity with you, especially in a subtle or manipulative way. Seduce is also commonly used in a more general way meaning to tempt or influence someone to do something, especially something bad or something they wouldn’t normally do. Though this sense of the word does not involve sex, it’s still often thought of as a metaphor for the type of seducing that does. Both senses of the word often imply a subtle manipulation in which one’s motives are hidden. People or things that seduce are said to be seductive. The act of seducing is called seduction. Example: They’re going to try to seduce you with flattery and a fancy dinner, but try to focus on the terms of the deal before you make your decision.
Related Words
See tempt.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of seduce
First recorded in 1470–80; from Latin sēdūcere “to lead aside,” equivalent to sē- se- + dūcere “to lead”; replacing earlier seduise, from Middle French, from Latin, as above
Explanation
To seduce is to lure or entice, particularly away from obligations or proper behavior. A gorgeous day could seduce you from doing your homework. Seduce means something close to attract, beguile, tempt, and mislead. The word often has romantic overtones, but it doesn't have to: a clever criminal could seduce someone into a life of crime. When you're being seduced, it implies you're being tricked a little bit, often into something that's enticing but not so good.
Vocabulary lists containing seduce
Lead the Way: Duc and Duct
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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Selection Vocabulary 3, Unit 2
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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.
Every once in a while we’ll play a Seduce gig, a couple of thousand people show up and it’s like playing a school reunion.
From The Guardian • Oct. 15, 2015
The three-day TEDWomen 2015: Momentum event will include six speaker sessions Spark, Surface, Seduce, Sustain, Shift, and Share using the traditional 18-minute TED Talks, plus workshops, seminars, and networking activities.
From Forbes • May 19, 2015
Seduce out of hiding the estimated $4 billion in gold concealed in the socks of French peasants and petits bourgeois.
From Time Magazine Archive
Not guilty, when thy looks my power betray, Seduce mankind, my subject, from my sway, Take all my hearts and all my eyes away?
From The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 05 by Scott, Walter, Sir
Learn, the wise cherubim from harps of gold Seduce a trepidating music manifold; But the superior seraphim do know None other music but to flame and glow.
From Poems by Thompson, Francis
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.
