tempt

[tempt]

verb (used with object)

1. to entice or allure to do something often regarded as unwise, wrong, or immoral.

2. to attract, appeal strongly to, or invite.

   The offer tempts me.

   Synonyms: persuade, incite, lure, induce, inveigle

3. to render strongly disposed to do something.

   The book tempted me to read more on the subject.

4. to put (someone) to the test in a venturesome way; provoke.

   to tempt one's fate.

5. Obsolete.,  to try or test.

tempt

/ tɛmpt /

verb

1. to attempt to persuade or entice to do something, esp something morally wrong or unwise

2. to allure, invite, or attract

3. to give rise to a desire in (someone) to do something; dispose

   their unfriendliness tempted me to leave the party

4. to risk provoking (esp in the phrase tempt fate )

Other Word Forms

• temptable adjective
• pretempt verb (used with object)
• self-tempted adjective
• supertempt verb (used with object)
• untemptable adjective
• untempted adjective
• tempter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tempt¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English from Latin temptāre “to probe, feel, test, tempt”

Word History and Origins

Origin of tempt¹

C13: from Old French tempter, from Latin temptāre to test

Synonym Study

Tempt, seduce may both mean to allure or entice to something unwise or wicked. To tempt is to attract by holding out the probability of gratification or advantage, often in the direction of that which is wrong or unwise: to tempt a man with a bribe. To seduce is literally to lead astray, sometimes from that which absorbs one or demands attention, but oftener, in a moral sense, from rectitude, chastity, etc.: to seduce a person away from loyalty.

Example Sentences

It’s tempting to dismiss the abrupt retirement of Marjorie Taylor Greene from Congress as the end of an odd, cranky political career.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"I think it was a very tempting proposition, I'd just been born and I'm sure my dad thought it was the responsible thing to do."

Read more on BBC

This year, middle- and lower-income families squeezed by persistent inflation might be especially tempted to rely on debt to get through the holiday season.

Read more on MarketWatch

One is tempted to recall what Michael Corleone said in “The Godfather Part II” when he was being bullied by the corrupt Sen. Pat Geary into paying a bribe: “My offer is this,” he said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Talking about her reasons for walking away from politics, she told BBC Scotland that nothing would tempt her back - not even the top job.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• appeal to www.thesaurus.com
• attract 
• captivate 
• charm 
• dare 
• fascinate 
• induce 
• intrigue 
• invite 
• motivate 
• persuade 
• seduce 
• stimulate 
• tantalize 
• woo