tantalizing

American  

[tan-tl-ahy-zing] / ˈtæn tlˌaɪ zɪŋ /

adjective

1. 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.

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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.

Example Sentences

Tantalizing traces of ancient Martian life may have been found.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Tantalizing hints have been gleaned from gravitational data provided by past missions.

From Scientific American • Jul. 22, 2021

Tantalizing early results came from maize, in which plants with identical DNA had variations in traits such as kernel color that persisted for hundreds of generations.

From Science Magazine • Jul. 18, 2019

Tantalizing recipes provide punctuation to the career twists and turns.

From New York Times • Apr. 9, 2019

Tantalizing phenomena, at once showing and concealing the real relationship of the persons concerned, caused a diffusion of excited surprise.

From The Woodlanders by Hardy, Thomas

Related Words

• alluring