tantalizing

American

[tan-tl-ahy-zing] / ˈtæn tlˌaɪ zɪŋ /

adjective

having or exhibiting something that provokes or arouses expectation, interest, or desire, especially that which remains unobtainable or beyond one's reach.

a tantalizing taste of success.

Other Word Forms

tantalizingly adverb
untantalizing adjective

Etymology

Origin of tantalizing

First recorded in 1650–60; tantalize + -ing ²

Explanation

Something tantalizing is tempting: like a meal that smells amazing and makes you want to eat it. Tantalizing things are very appealing. When something is tantalizing, it makes you want it, even if it's totally out of reach. An exciting movie trailer could be tantalizing if it makes you want to see the movie. A little part of a song can be tantalizing if it tempts you to hear more. Smells — when they're good smells — can be very tantalizing. Just walking through a good restaurant, smelling and looking at the food, is a tantalizing experience.

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Vocabulary lists containing tantalizing

The Giver

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"The Landlady" by Roald Dahl

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The Things They Carried

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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.

Geese have undeniably been at the forefront of conversations on tantalizing, new rock and the revival of the classic “band scene.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

And yet the prospect of using origami to improve existing technologies is, for some, tantalizing.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

A journey into the wilderness of 18th-century Canada starts with a tantalizing mineral sample brought back to an English outpost.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

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

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

At that scale, even a small shift—like removing tantalizing photos of cool, icy glasses of soda from the kids’ menus—could have a real impact.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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