inveigle

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb inveigle differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of inveigle are decoy, entice, lure, seduce, and tempt. While all these words mean "to lead astray from one's true course," inveigle implies enticing by cajoling or flattering.

fund-raisers inveigling wealthy alumni

When is it sensible to use decoy instead of inveigle?

While in some cases nearly identical to inveigle, decoy implies a luring into entrapment by artifice.

attempting to decoy the enemy into an ambush

When might entice be a better fit than inveigle?

Although the words entice and inveigle have much in common, entice suggests drawing by artful or adroit means.

advertising designed to entice new customers

When could lure be used to replace inveigle?

The words lure and inveigle can be used in similar contexts, but lure implies a drawing into danger, evil, or difficulty through attracting and deceiving.

lured naive investors with get-rich-quick schemes

When is seduce a more appropriate choice than inveigle?

While the synonyms seduce and inveigle are close in meaning, seduce implies a leading astray by persuasion or false promises.

seduced by assurances of assistance

In what contexts can tempt take the place of inveigle?

The meanings of tempt and inveigle largely overlap; however, 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

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inveigle On hand for the séance is a thoroughly skeptical Poirot, inveigled to attend by a mystery-novelist friend, Ariadne Oliver. Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2023 Norman Mailer tried to inveigle his dinner guests into an orgy, and not long after wrote a cruel letter to Styron, breaking off their friendship. Marion Winik, Washington Post, 15 June 2023 At a ball where Byron was surrounded by a flock of ladies, Lamb inveigled the hostess to introduce her, and, having looked earnestly, wordlessly, into the poet’s face, Lamb immediately turned on her heel. Clare McHugh, Washington Post, 28 May 2023 Another threat that is likely to inveigle itself into the Web3 domain is phishing. Andrew Newman, Forbes, 4 May 2022 All of those thinly veiled efforts to inveigle an answer are met with a stock response. New York Times, 26 Nov. 2021 To reach Peru, Dr. Koepcke had to first get to a port and inveigle his way onto a trans-Atlantic freighter. New York Times, 18 June 2021 The two cell-surface proteins that SARS-CoV-2 uses to make contact with its target cells and inveigle its way into them would fit into this category. The Economist, 20 Aug. 2020 And, finally, he is lost at the very end of the world when he is sent on to Edinburgh, to inveigle his way into the affections of the Scottish King James VI, poised to become the English King James I upon Elizabeth’s death. Dominic Dromgoole, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inveigle
Verb
  • In this capacity, the Chinese leadership can—and must—lead a collective effort to persuade Russia to secure its vulnerable warheads, drawing on its own expanding bilateral relationship with Moscow.
    William M. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
  • And Arizona Democrats are running against her with much of the same rhetoric that persuaded voters to reject her two years ago.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Cruel Intentions follows the elite students of Manchester College, where two ruthless step-siblings will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy, including seducing the daughter of the vice-president of the United States.
    Anne Victoria Clark, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
  • Police later learned that the prisoners had seduced the seamstress as a part of their escape plot.
    Emily Blackwood, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • This approach also allows businesses to adopt next-generation capabilities without overwhelming their existing infrastructure or processes as an organization, enticing your organization to continue with transformation along the way.
    Josh Ashby, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
  • At jewelry houses, timepieces offered male clients a reason to treat themselves while buying baubles for their significant others, or they were seen as a mass-marketing tool, a means of enticing clients who might not be able to afford a million-dollar high-jewelry necklace or five-figure handbag.
    Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Over the past two years, there have been episodic reports of Cuban, Indian, and Nepalese soldiers and volunteers lured to fight for Russia.
    Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024
  • While Wanda made tea for herself, an astral projection of her Scarlet Witch alter ego was seen in another room of the cabin, studying the Darkhold spellbook… until the distant sound of her son calling for help lured her away.
    Rebecca Iannucci, TVLine, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • All of this excitement may tempt you to place some bets on what will happen — but is that actually a good idea?
    Becca Stanek, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024
  • The fact that its nuclear warheads are so close to Ukraine could, in fact, tempt Russia to conduct a false-flag operation on its own storage sites in order to justify a nuclear attack.
    William M. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • And yet, her songs have beguiled listeners and scaled the charts in 50 countries and counting.
    Suzy Exposito, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2024
  • The original Demon's Souls is a big, challenging, beguiling game, the first in From Software's Souls series.
    Julie Muncy, WIRED, 24 Nov. 2020
Verb
  • Iran’s supreme leader has still vowed to further retaliate against Israel, part of a back-and-forth since April that has drawn in the U.S. to help defend Israel against Iranian missiles.
    Laura Kelly, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
  • The first thing to understand here is that throughout the soccer world, a team that advances on PKs is credited with a draw in its record, not a victory.
    Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Inveigle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inveigle. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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