seduce

[ si-doos, -dyoos ]
See synonyms for seduce on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),se·duced, se·duc·ing.
  1. to lead astray, as from duty, rectitude, or the like; corrupt.

  2. to persuade or induce to have sexual intercourse.

  1. to lead or draw away, as from principles, faith, or allegiance: He was seduced by the prospect of gain.

  2. to win over; attract; entice: a supermarket seducing customers with special sales.

Origin of seduce

1
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

synonym study For seduce

1. See tempt.

Other words for seduce

Opposites for seduce

Other words from seduce

  • se·duc·er, noun
  • se·duc·i·ble, se·duce·a·ble, adjective
  • se·duc·ing·ly, adverb
  • un·se·duc·i·ble, adjective
  • un·se·duc·i·ble·ness, noun
  • un·se·duc·i·bly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use seduce in a sentence

  • Why did God allow him to be seduced, knowing well that he would be too weak to resist the tempter?

  • Adolphe was seduced by a wish, which invariably seizes persons who are the prey of misfortune, to know how far an evil will go!

  • His open, generous nature was more easily to be seduced by a liberal conduct than by threats and fetters.

  • These finally seduced him into permitting temples to be built to Moloch and their other false gods.

  • The old are seduced by gold—the youth by pleasure—the weak by flattery—cowards by fear—and the courageous by ambition.

    Peveril of the Peak | Sir Walter Scott

British Dictionary definitions for seduce

seduce

/ (sɪˈdjuːs) /


verb(tr)
  1. to persuade to engage in sexual intercourse

  2. to lead astray, as from the right action

  1. to win over, attract, or lure

Origin of seduce

1
C15: from Latin sēdūcere to lead apart, from sē- apart + dūcere to lead

Derived forms of seduce

  • seducible or seduceable, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012