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

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.

“There are tantalizing signs that businesses are starting to pull the trigger on new hires,” said Scott Anderson, chief U.S. economist at BMO Capital Markets.

From MarketWatch • May 2, 2026

There will be many more jaw-dropping moments in the tantalizing weeks ahead, many games that will take big turns.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

So-called leveraged exchange-traded funds offer a tantalizing prospect—to double, or sometimes triple, stock market moves.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

He seemed like the sort of tantalizing five-star talent who could change not just the present but future of a program.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

The results have been tantalizing, annoying, provocative, stimulating, and, at least until recently, substantially inconclusive.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

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