temptation

American  

[temp-tay-shuhn] / tɛmpˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

• temptations
  plural

1. the act of tempting; enticement or allurement.

   Synonyms:

   inducement, seduction, pull, attraction, lure

2. something that tempts, entices, or allures.

3. the fact or state of being tempted, especially to evil.

4. an instance of this.

5. (initial capital letter) the temptation of Christ by Satan. Matthew 4.

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temptation British  

/ tɛmpˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of tempting or the state of being tempted

2. a person or thing that tempts

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nontemptation
  noun
• pretemptation
  noun
• supertemptation
  noun
• temptational
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• temptations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of temptation

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English temptacion, from Latin temptātiōn- (stem of temptātiō ) “a testing”; see tempt, -ation

Explanation

Temptation is something you want to have or to do, even though you know you shouldn't. That bag of peanut butter cups on top of your fridge might be an example of a temptation. The thing that you want despite knowing it's not good for you — like the cool sneakers you really can't afford — is a temptation. The feeling is also a temptation — so wanting those shoes is temptation. The Latin word temptare, or to taste, is where temptation comes from, which makes a lot of sense when you think of that bag of peanut butter cups calling to you from the kitchen.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

temptation temptations

The proliferation of prediction markets has created a new temptation for knowledgeable insiders to try to cash in on proprietary information.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

They experience a brief catharsis, a release of their anxiety about succumbing to temptation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Is careful use of language a way to at least avoid the temptation of these bots?

From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026

“The hard part is to avoid the temptation of a beleaguered explanation,” Lundquist says.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

Ron, who was supposed to be jinxing Harry, was purple in the face, his lips tightly compressed to save himself from the temptation of muttering the incantation.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

As the frontman of the Killers, Flowers, 45, has spent more than two decades singing about the struggles and the temptations at the heart of the American dream.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

Out of these materials Milton fashioned a new epic focused on the temptations of forbidden knowledge.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

The beloved Minneapolis bakery is famous for its oversized, gooey cinnamon rolls, but there are plenty of other temptations on display, including caramel pecan buns, sticky buns and seasonal specialties.

From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026

Kudos to you on prioritizing retirement savings and not letting the temptations of high salaries and lifestyle spending deter you from thinking about your and your wife’s futures.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 10, 2026

With its support, he rededicated himself to serving God, and by his senior year he was running his own Bible-study group, hoping to inoculate first-year students against the temptations he had faced.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times