entice
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of entice
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English enticen, from Old French enticier “to incite,” from unattested Vulgar Latin intitiāre, equivalent to Latin in- in- 2 + -titiāre, verbal derivative of unattested titius, for titiō “piece of burning wood”
Explanation
Let's say your friend wants to go to the movies and you don't want to. Your friend might try to entice you by offering to buy you popcorn and a soda. Entice means to persuade with promises of something. The word entice means to lure or tempt someone by promising them something that they like. It is a little manipulative but in a fairly straightforward way. You always know it when someone is enticing you. If a company really wants to hire you, they will entice you with a good salary and generous benefits. The promise of a gold star is often enough to entice small children to get good grades.
Vocabulary lists containing entice
Nothing But the Truth
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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And Then There Were None
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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.
For starters, almost every equity offering is priced at a discount to the most recent market price to entice investors and offset the risk that the stock will drop on news of the deal.
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
It comes just a day after the firm revealed plans for a record-breaking stock market debut, where the successful launch of the powerful new rocket could help entice investors into buying shares.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Not enough people knew who he was, and because Rice had played so little in college, there was no data available to entice other teams.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
One pays faithful homage to the original film noir titles of the 1940s, while the latter aims to entice audiences who might not be familiar with the monochromatic palette.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
“I’ve thought of trying to entice your brother into it.”
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
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.
