tempt
Americanverb (used with object)
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tempts,
present (3rd person singular)
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tempted,
past participle, past
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tempting
present participle
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to entice or allure to do something often regarded as unwise, wrong, or immoral.
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to attract, appeal strongly to, or invite.
The offer tempts me.
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to render strongly disposed to do something.
The book tempted me to read more on the subject.
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to put (someone) to the test in a venturesome way; provoke.
to tempt one's fate.
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Obsolete. to try or test.
verb
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to attempt to persuade or entice to do something, esp something morally wrong or unwise
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to allure, invite, or attract
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to give rise to a desire in (someone) to do something; dispose
their unfriendliness tempted me to leave the party
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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
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tempternoun
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pretemptverb (used with object)
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supertemptverb (used with object)
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self-temptedadjective
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temptableadjective
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untemptableadjective
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untemptedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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temptsimple
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temptssimple
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have temptedperfect
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has temptedperfect
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am temptingprogressive
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are temptingprogressive
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is temptingprogressive
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have been temptingperfect progressive
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has been temptingperfect progressive
Past
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temptedsimple
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had temptedperfect
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was temptingprogressive
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were temptingprogressive
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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
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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.
See Examples For:
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 menu is designed for sharing, though a few dishes may tempt you to keep them to yourself.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
In meetings in Caracas and Houston, the parties have yet to agree on contract terms that would tempt the company to risk entering the country.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
Record-holder Anderson, 38, thought his racing days were over until Kopke approached him to tempt him out of retirement this year.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
“It will follow you and tempt you to open it, no matter where you leave it It will appear when you are weakest.”
From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan
He said publicity around eco-moorings and a no-anchor zone to protect seahorses also "tempts people to go and look" for them.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
The sunk-cost fallacy tempts people to pay escalating premiums because they’ve paid in for so long.
From MarketWatch ● May 6, 2026
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
Nearly tempts him to the window, but he stops himself.
From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
United officials were quick to make it known the number nine shirt Rashford wore in Poland was not permanent, to stave off any complaints from those tempted to buy one.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Jacob said: "I think if you were to buy a suit from a shop you'd be tempted to go with more of a safe option whereas with this, you're forced to try other things."
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Or could they be tempted by the huge profit to be made if they sell the rest of their stake to Bezos's group?
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Afterward, you might even be tempted to watch the previous 49 seasons of the show—a feat that would only take you 22 days of continuous streaming.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
I think even President Wilson would’ve been tempted.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
I see why it’s tempting to pay off: You are, essentially, trying to achieve a saving instead of an uncertain investment return.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
In such a setting, and perhaps especially in the entertainment industry, it could be tempting to feel like you were on a family vacation and let your guard down accordingly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
A tempting life as a full-time family man nearly pulled Khalil Mack away from football.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
"After the colourful spring with seemingly lots of beautiful butterflies appearing across the UK, it's tempting to assume we're heading for a bumper summer," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Mother was offering her a “get out of jail free” card, and, as tempting as that was, it seemed like cheating.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
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.
