Definition and pronunciation
tempt /tɛmpt/ — verb: to attract, persuade, or encourage someone to do something, often something wrong, risky, or hard to resist.
Easy explanation
To tempt means to make someone want to do something they might not normally do. It could be harmless (tempted by cake) or serious (tempted to break a promise).
Grammatical formation
- Verb: tempt, tempts, tempted, tempting.
- Noun: temptation.
- Adjective: tempting.
- Adverb: temptingly.
- Common frames: tempt someone to do something; tempt someone with something.
Meanings and nuances
- Attract with desire — making something appealing (“The sale tempted me to buy more”).
- Persuade to do wrong — often linked to moral or ethical weakness (“He was tempted to lie”).
- Make appealing but risky — “Tempting fate” = taking unnecessary risks.
- Offer enticement — advertising or persuasion.
With prepositions and variants
- tempt someone to do something: “She tempted him to stay longer.”
- tempt someone with something: “He tempted me with dessert.”
- tempted by something: “She was tempted by the job offer.”
- tempt fate: idiomatic expression (risking bad luck).
Common collocations
tempt someone, tempt fate, tempt with an offer, tempt to buy, tempt into doing, feel tempted, too tempting, a tempting offer, tempted by desire, temptation of power
Idioms and neighboring expressions
tempt fate (take an unnecessary risk), too tempting to resist, lead into temptation, lure in, dangle a carrot, resist temptation, fall into temptation
Word comparisons
- tempt vs attract: attract is neutral; tempt suggests desire + possible risk.
- tempt vs seduce: seduce has stronger sexual or manipulative meaning; tempt can be mild.
- tempt vs persuade: persuade stresses reasoning; tempt stresses desire.
- tempt vs entice: both mean lure; tempt often implies resistance.
Real-life examples
- “The aroma of fresh bread tempted her into the bakery.”
- “He was tempted to skip class but went anyway.”
- “The ad tempted customers with free gifts.”
- “Don’t tempt fate by driving in the storm.”
- “They were tempted by promises of quick wealth.”
Sample sentences
- “The chocolate cake tempted him.”
- “She was tempted to say yes.”
- “He tempted the dog with treats.”
- “They tempted fate by climbing without ropes.”
- “The offer tempted her to leave her job.”
- “Tempting ads filled the magazine.”
- “He felt tempted to call his ex.”
- “She tempted him with a smile.”
- “The dangerous road tempted adventurers.”
- “Despite the temptation, she resisted.”
Synonyms
entice, lure, attract, seduce, persuade, coax, charm, allure, draw, provoke
Antonyms
deter, repel, discourage, dissuade, resist, ward off
Related terms
temptation, tempting, tempter, enticement, seduction, desire, persuasion, allurement, attraction
Connection to sexuality
Tempt often appears in sexual or romantic contexts (“tempted by her beauty,” “he tried to tempt her”), but it’s not inherently sexual. It simply means making something desirable—whether it’s food, money, power, or intimacy. In moral and religious traditions, temptation is frequently tied to sexual desire or sin.
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