attract
verb /əˈtrækt/
/əˈtrækt/
Verb Forms
Idioms | present simple I / you / we / they attract | /əˈtrækt/ /əˈtrækt/ |
| he / she / it attracts | /əˈtrækts/ /əˈtrækts/ |
| past simple attracted | /əˈtræktɪd/ /əˈtræktɪd/ |
| past participle attracted | /əˈtræktɪd/ /əˈtræktɪd/ |
| -ing form attracting | /əˈtræktɪŋ/ /əˈtræktɪŋ/ |
- [usually passive] if you are attracted by something, it interests you and makes you want it; if you are attracted by somebody, you like or admire them
- be attracted by somebody/something I had always been attracted by the idea of working abroad.
- attract somebody (to somebody/something) What first attracted me to her was her sense of humour.
- She finds herself increasingly attracted to them and their lifestyle.
- be attracted to somebody to have a sexual or romantic interest in somebody
- I am not attracted to him at all.
- to make somebody/something come somewhere or take part in something
- attract somebody/something to something Officials hope to attract more tourists to the area.
- The new city is expected to attract investment worth £45 billion.
- attract something The exhibition has attracted thousands of visitors.
- to attract a crowd/audience/customers
- The warm damp air attracts a lot of mosquitoes.
- Figure out how to continue to attract and retain businesses.
- attract something to make people have a particular reaction
- This proposal has attracted a lot of interest.
- His comments were bound to attract criticism.
- She tried to attract the attention of the waiter.
- (physics) if a magnet or gravity attracts something, it makes it move towards it opposite repel
Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin attract- ‘drawn near’, from the verb attrahere, from ad- ‘to’ + trahere ‘draw’.
Idioms
opposites attract
- used to say that people who are very different are often attracted to each other