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.
-
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.
Ads played with the idea of fashion as a temptation in which female consumers should indulge.
From Salon • May 17, 2026
Wirries’ Star does more than flirt with the dark side, but in resisting the temptation to become part of the vampire pack she becomes worthy of Michael’s obsessive love.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
It must also resist the temptation to rest on its laurels.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
When results do not follow, the temptation is always the same; change and react to external pressure.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
I resisted the temptation to make a balloon out of the latex gloves that were in a box by the exam table, though I know it would have made everyone laugh.
From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio
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.
