entice

verb

en·​tice in-ˈtīs 

en-

enticed; enticing

transitive verb

: to attract artfully or adroitly or by arousing hope or desire : tempt

enticement

in-ˈtī-smənt 

en-

noun

Synonyms

• allure
• bait
• beguile
• betray
• decoy
• lead on
• lure
• seduce
• solicit
• tempt

Choose the Right Synonym for entice

lure, entice, inveigle, decoy, tempt, seduce mean to lead astray from one's true course.

lure implies a drawing into danger, evil, or difficulty through attracting and deceiving.

lured naive investors with get-rich-quick schemes

entice suggests drawing by artful or adroit means.

advertising designed to entice new customers

inveigle implies enticing by cajoling or flattering.

fund-raisers inveigling wealthy alumni

decoy implies a luring into entrapment by artifice.

attempting to decoy the enemy into an ambush

tempt implies the presenting of an attraction so strong that it overcomes the restraints of conscience or better judgment.

tempted by the offer of money

seduce implies a leading astray by persuasion or false promises.

seduced by assurances of assistance

Examples of entice in a Sentence

every commercial seemed to be for some tempting snack specifically designed to entice me from my diet

Recent Examples on the Web

China extends visa-free transit policy China has tripled the amount of time visitors can spend in the country without a visa in yet another move to entice more foreign tourists. —Alexandra Banner, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024

Email newsletters are admittedly pretty common, but those that entice audiences to routinely click through and engage with their content are a rare breed. —Jodi Amendola, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

But her puppy, like many pets, found the tree enticing. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024

Cramer said Darden’s high prices might get pushback and the company needs to entice more consumers who are looking for the best value, while Nike needs to bring more innovation to compete with Adidas, Deckers’ Hoka and On Holding. —Kristian Burt, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French enticer, from Vulgar Latin *intitiare, from Latin in- + titio firebrand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

entice

verb

en·​tice in-ˈtīs 

enticed; enticing

: to attract by arousing hope or desire : tempt

enticement

-mənt 

noun

enticingly

-iŋ-lē 

adverb