Synonyms

tantalize

American

[tan-tl-ahyz] / ˈtæn tlˌaɪz /

especially British, tantalise

verb (used with object)

tantalized, tantalizing

to torment with, or as if with, the sight of something desired but out of reach; tease by arousing expectations that are repeatedly disappointed.

Synonyms:

frustrate, tempt, taunt, provoke

Antonyms:

satisfy

tantalize British

/ ˈtæntəˌlaɪz /

verb

(tr) to tease or make frustrated, as by tormenting with the sight of something greatly desired but inaccessible

"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

Other Word Forms

tantalization noun
tantalizer noun
tantalizing adjective
tantalizingly adverb
untantalized adjective

Etymology

Origin of tantalize

First recorded in 1590–1600; Tantal(us) + -ize

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.

His precious moments are not memories of an idealized past, nor projections of a tantalizing dream, but interventions in our complex present that reveal beautiful and unsettling layers.

From Los Angeles Times

They’re inspiring and tantalizing, each salad photo a beautiful showcase of visual media at its finest.

From Salon

There were tantalizing glimpses in the second half against Iowa.

From Los Angeles Times

Venezuela’s oil has long been tantalizing —and problematic.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023