temptation

American  

[temp-tey-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

To help you avoid the temptation to doomscroll about it tonight, might I instead suggest:

From Slate ● Jul. 8, 2026

After almost quadrupling from May 2025, the temptation to book profits had become irresistible.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026

The temptation to look ahead has rarely been stronger.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

The group, owned by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, turns over around 20 billion euros a year despite resisting the commercial temptation of launching a dedicated menswear fashion line.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

She was unable to resist the temptation; she opened the box.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

We have plenty of screen-based temptations lying around the house already, and my kids don’t need another.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 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

John says that if released prisoners can get past the temptations of the first few days, adjusting to life outside, they'll have a better chance of staying out for longer.

From BBC ● Dec. 10, 2025

The aroma of food is appealing again, but Lourdes is afraid of its temptations, of straying too far from the blue liquid, from the pitchers of cleansing ice water.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García