temptation
Americannoun
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the act of tempting; enticement or allurement.
- Synonyms:
- inducement, seduction, pull, attraction, lure
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something that tempts, entices, or allures.
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the fact or state of being tempted, especially to evil.
-
an instance of this.
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(initial capital letter) the temptation of Christ by Satan. Matthew 4.
noun
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the act of tempting or the state of being tempted
-
a person or thing that tempts
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing temptation
Bridge to Terabithia
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Brown Girl Dreaming
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A Long Way from Chicago
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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.
Pope Leo warns repeatedly against both economism and scientism: the temptation to reduce human beings to market functions or material processes.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
Ibsen admits the amount of FPL content he consumed "grew more and more" as the season went on, but says he resisted the temptation to turn to AI for help.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
Ads played with the idea of fashion as a temptation in which female consumers should indulge.
From Salon • May 17, 2026
The temptation, always, is to get to it later.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
Some teenagers in the ranks gave in to temptation.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
