inveigle

Definition of inveiglenext

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

Example 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 Unlike his small-time Israeli rivals, the placards implied, Netanyahu was a savvy statesman who punched above his weight on the international stage, thanks to his unaccented English oratory and ability to inveigle the world’s most powerful people. Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inveigle
Verb
  • But multiple Democratic senators said that's not enough to persuade them to back off their demands.
    Riley Beggin, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Renato Renner of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich is not persuaded that resolving the conflict between the Copenhagen and many-worlds interpretations solves all the problems.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • This is so outrageous that even Creepy Professor Oliver McCreepenstein, a middle-aged married man currently seducing his 17-year-old student, is aghast.
    Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Ahead, find 15 red velvet nail ideas that are made to seduce.
    Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Eric Patrick, 31, pleaded guilty in an Orlando courtroom to attempting to entice a 15-year-old, whom Patrick and his husband, Richard Kowalczyk, met on Grindr, a dating app for gay men, according to Patrick’s plea agreement.
    Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Part of what makes Joomra Pillow Slippers enticing is their waterproof design.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The agency allegedly used Bank of America accounts to lure young women with fake modeling offers, while financial records suggest the bank was aware of these suspicious connections, according to plaintiff’s claims.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
  • On Thursday, Trantalis said Tunnel Top Plaza was in dire of need of a shade structure to lure more people to the area.
    Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • She may be tempted to revise Article 9 of the Constitution, which bans maintaining a military and going to war.
    Jeff Kingston, Time, 15 Feb. 2026
  • As systems act more autonomously and with greater speed, humans would be tempted to abdicate decision making in order to leverage their power.
    Deb Roy, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Restaurant Week is a great opportunity for restaurants to draw in new diners and serve their best dishes to more people.
    Libby Smith, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Anime, J‑pop, games, fashion, and Instagrammable streets make Japan feel familiar and visually distinctive, a powerful draw in itself.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Inveigle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inveigle. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

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