entice

verb

en·​tice in-ˈtīs How to pronounce entice (audio)
en-
enticed; enticing

transitive verb

: to attract artfully or adroitly or by arousing hope or desire : tempt
enticement noun
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
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.
Instead, General Catalyst is in rapid expansion mode — trying to build the sort of diversified, fee-generating asset base that would entice Wall Street analysts to use firms like Blackstone as comps. Dan Primack, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025 But the black-and-white film about two Black couples, played by the same actors, living in Chicago during two different time periods, didn’t entice distributors. Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 28 Feb. 2025 Lamoriello could assemble some mid-round draft picks for any of the defensemen he’s collected in recent weeks — Tony DeAngelo has six points in 10 games and might entice a team that needs some depth. Arthur Staple, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025 However, with emails often being automatically directed into spam or junk folders or deleted unread, nonprofits have to get creative about enticing subscribers to open emails and engage. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for entice

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of entice was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Entice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entice. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

entice

verb
en·​tice in-ˈtīs How to pronounce entice (audio)
enticed; enticing
: to attract by arousing hope or desire : tempt
enticement noun
enticingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on entice

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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