tempt
verb (used with object)
to entice or allure to do something often regarded as unwise, wrong, or immoral.
tempted
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past participleof tempt.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof tempt.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
temptverb (used with object)to entice or allure to do something often regarded as unwise, wrong, or immoral.
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.
“I’m tempted to say start small, but some people like to start big.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
Given that clemency boards often look more favorably on applicants who acknowledge their wrongdoing and express remorse, I asked if he’d been tempted to confess.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Sure enough, when De Paula stepped into the batter’s box at Loan Depot Park, he wasn’t tempted to swing at the first-pitch curveball that dipped below the zone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
Patient investors who believe that demand for aged spirits will eventually recover might be tempted to own these stocks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
He was tempted to eat some when he got home, but he didn’t want to break his number-one rule: do not eat the Y2K supply.
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
