- present participle of tempt.
tempting
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tempting
Explanation
Anything that's tempting makes you excited or interested, like a tempting chocolate doughnut or a tempting offer to go to the movies instead of doing your chores. An invitation or offer that intrigues you is tempting—even if it might ultimately be a bad idea. It's tempting to skip school and spend the afternoon at the beach, but it's wiser to avoid the temptation. People commonly describe food they feel is bad for them as tempting. This sense of something that's both harmful and attractive comes from the original meaning of tempt, "entice to evil or sin."
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.
He opens “Digger” lounging in a bed soaked with cat pee, tempting an elderly feline named Maggie to lick wet chow from his gnarled pinkie nail.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
It’s tempting to extrapolate our successes or sacrifices and say, “I did it. Why can’t you?”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 26, 2026
Common advice to fight it includes “closing” your kitchen after dinner, keeping tempting treats out of the house, and doing meal prep at the start of the week.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
It’s tempting to think the First Amendment is out of date with the rise of AI, around which there’s so much doomsaying.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
“No, then he won’t be able to talk,” I said, although it was a rather tempting offer.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
