temptverb [ T ]
uk/tempt/us/tempt/to make someone want to have or do something, especially something that is unnecessary or wrong:
The offer of free credit tempted her into buying a new car.
[ + to infinitive ] They tempted him to join the company by offering him a huge salary and a company car.
be tempted
B2 to want something or to want to do something:
"Did you apply for that job?" "Well, I was very tempted, but I decided not to."
I was sorely (= very) tempted to resign after my boss screamed at me for the second time.
More examples
- Perhaps some caviar can tempt your jaded palate.
- I was really tempted to take the money.
- They put out food to tempt the foxes into the traps.
- Chocolate cake? - Don't tempt me!
- I was tempted into ordering a whole new wardrobe.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Attracting and tempting
- affinity
- allure
- arrest
- attract
- attraction
- charm
- charm offensive
- charm the pants off sb idiom
- counterattraction
- crowd-puller
- cute
- glitter
- magnet
- pull
- pulling power
- reel
- reel sb/sth in
- seduce
- seduction
- spell
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Wanting things
Idiom(s)
tempt fate/providence