tempt
Americanverb (used with object)
-
tempts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
tempted,
past participle, past
-
tempting
present participle
-
to entice or allure to do something often regarded as unwise, wrong, or immoral.
-
to attract, appeal strongly to, or invite.
The offer tempts me.
-
to render strongly disposed to do something.
The book tempted me to read more on the subject.
-
to put (someone) to the test in a venturesome way; provoke.
to tempt one's fate.
-
Obsolete. to try or test.
verb
-
to attempt to persuade or entice to do something, esp something morally wrong or unwise
-
to allure, invite, or attract
-
to give rise to a desire in (someone) to do something; dispose
their unfriendliness tempted me to leave the party
-
to risk provoking (esp in the phrase tempt fate )
Synonym Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
tempternoun
-
pretemptverb (used with object)
-
supertemptverb (used with object)
-
self-temptedadjective
-
temptableadjective
-
untemptableadjective
-
untemptedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
temptsimple
-
temptssimple
-
have temptedperfect
-
has temptedperfect
-
am temptingprogressive
-
are temptingprogressive
-
is temptingprogressive
-
have been temptingperfect progressive
-
has been temptingperfect progressive
Past
-
temptedsimple
-
had temptedperfect
-
was temptingprogressive
-
were temptingprogressive
-
had been temptingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tempt
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English from Latin temptāre “to probe, feel, test, tempt”
Explanation
To tempt is to lure or entice. You might tempt your runaway dog back inside with pieces of cheese. The verb tempt often has negative implications: "Don't let those bullies tempt you into picking on smaller kids!" When something tempts you, it's often with the knowledge that it's not the best idea, however attractive it might be. Tempt was originally a religious term, meaning "to entice to evil or sin," while today it's more likely to be a slice of cake that tempts us than the devil.
Vocabulary lists containing tempt
Achievement First 5th Grade IA 1 Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Other Words for Home
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Promises to Keep
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
I’d only buy into this IPO and hold on to the stock if I thought Oura could either beat its massive competitors or perhaps tempt them to buy it out.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
But why, when lightness is such an empowering virtue, would anyone tempt fate in motorized dreadnoughts like the GT S?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
The prime minister replied that he didn't want to "tempt fate" and suggested Forster ask him again on Sunday.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
The only thing that would tempt me back into management would be lightning striking for a third time — to see James, to see Linda, then to see somebody comparably brilliant, which I occasionally do.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
They'll probably also bring along plague meds, though, to tempt me out into the open.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
Wigler noted that the promise of hitting goals fast with AI tempts tech start-up teams already prone to long workdays to lose track of time and stay on the job even deeper into the night.
From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026
But this is a delicate business, and the administration tempts chaos unless it learns to exercise its power with a lot more finesse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
The sunk-cost fallacy tempts people to pay escalating premiums because they’ve paid for so long.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 15, 2025
A bait jar inside the pot tempts the crab into a one-way entrance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2025
“Is this appetizing yam of yours true? I like high living, and what you say tempts me.”
From "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White
Investors with more of a short-term mindset therefore may be tempted to trim positions in the fund.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
The lure of glory and riches on the biggest stages have tempted plenty of others to cheat.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
They also mean management won’t be tempted to spend it on something dumb.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
"One might be tempted to imagine the 'gentleman scientist' as a bygone era, but it's alive and well here in Berkeley."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
The maheu smelled delicious, but she wasn’t even slightly tempted to drink it.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
From the Moneyist archives, here is Exhibit A: My sister squandered our parents’ millions, asked me to give her $10,000, then made me a tempting offer.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
It can be tempting to describe these well-meaning characters as everyday people trying to do their best.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
It’s tempting to treat this episode as merely humorous.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026
But however much he loves being PM there are also less tempting realities he'll have to confront.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
This made screaming at the top of her lungs very tempting.
From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
