lure 1 of 2

lure

2 of 2

noun

1
as in temptation
something that persuades one to perform an action for pleasure or gain the promise of easy money is always the lure for some people to play the lottery good schools are a lure for prospective home buyers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in bait
something used to attract animals to a hook or into a trap the fish simply didn't seem to like the lure I was using, so I didn't catch a thing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in seduction
the act or pressure of giving in to a desire especially when ill-advised the lure of the video game was distracting me from my studies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb lure differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of lure are decoy, entice, inveigle, seduce, and tempt. While all these words 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

When might decoy be a better fit than lure?

In some situations, the words decoy and lure are roughly equivalent. However, decoy implies a luring into entrapment by artifice.

attempting to decoy the enemy into an ambush

When is entice a more appropriate choice than lure?

The synonyms entice and lure are sometimes interchangeable, but entice suggests drawing by artful or adroit means.

advertising designed to entice new customers

When is it sensible to use inveigle instead of lure?

While in some cases nearly identical to lure, inveigle implies enticing by cajoling or flattering.

fund-raisers inveigling wealthy alumni

Where would seduce be a reasonable alternative to lure?

Although the words seduce and lure have much in common, seduce implies a leading astray by persuasion or false promises.

seduced by assurances of assistance

When would tempt be a good substitute for lure?

The words tempt and lure are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 lure
Verb
The main driver for luring international shoots is a combination of the country’s tax incentives and the fact that Cinecittà is being transformed into a large state-of-the-art digital age complex. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 29 May 2025 Marseille is a port city, constantly in motion; immigration waves from North Africa, Italy and Corsica have shaped much of its modern cultural fabric, and now young people from cities across Europe, lured by a less expensive cost of living and easy access to nature, are coming in droves. Lily Radziemski, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Noun
The lure of the genre for me lies in the way that people react to difficult situations. Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025 Make some hard and fast rules for yourself, and do not click on any links regardless of how compelling a lure these gangs and their AI might concoct. Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for lure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lure
Verb
  • Research even suggests that delaying goal failure, rather than giving in immediately when you’re tempted to engage in a behavior that defeats your goals, helps maintain a positive self-perception of self-control.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
  • Our tester liked the Rogue H2 so much that he was tempted to add it to his own home gym.
    Sherry Kuehl, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • The temptation to check messages, see what the latest notification is, etc. could pull audience members away from the live speaker.
    Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • The Trump administration must resist the temptation to focus on showy public-facing policies, such as unilateral drone strikes, which would practically force Sheinbaum to reduce cooperation in defense of Mexican sovereignty.
    WILL FREEMAN, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • If Payton wants to cut bait, Jim Leonhard is waiting in the wings.
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 1 June 2025
  • Guidry falls for the bait, Bill is arrested, and the detective ends the story as the sisters’ flatly ethical pawn.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 May 2025
Noun
  • Viewers eager for strategy and a touch of seduction will find everything waiting when Scandal lands back on Netflix on June 17.
    Tahar Rajab, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025
  • Especially in the language, there’s a lot of seduction in the lyrics.
    Vita Dadoo, Rolling Stone, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • As their powerbrokers get seduced by the riches of T20 franchise cricket and as popularity for Test cricket declines among their countrymen, South Africa’s future in the longest and most traditional format has been of major concern.
    Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
  • American culture has long inspired military service, with recruits seduced by action movies and promises of heroic returns to the U.S.
    Jacob Ware, The Conversation, 12 June 2025
Noun
  • This structure leaves little incentive for buyers locked into contracts to make any moves until the contract ends.
    Greg Robinson, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • While geothermal energy loses out in the current package, some Republicans, including U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, have called for the power source’s tax incentives to remain.
    Justin Worland, Time, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • Working in recognizable horror subgenres, Byrne entices you with a familiar premise and then slowly teases apart the tropes, leaving you unsettled but also invigorated by his inventiveness.
    Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
  • This wine entices with blackberry, plum, allspice and vanilla with smooth tannins and a bright acidity.
    Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • Disney California Adventure Park’s Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! attraction, based on the beloved Disney and Pixar film, will close to make room for the park's upcoming Avatar destination.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 7 June 2025
  • Things won’t always have the sizzle and spark of your early attraction.
    R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 7 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lure. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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