as in to intrigue
to cause (someone) to feel interest or excitement about something that is very attractive, appealing, etc.
She was tantalized by the possibility of earning a lot of money quickly.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 tantalize
The long-running series is enjoying its latest act on Netflix after previously airing on Fox and USA, tantalizing viewers by thrusting four couples due for a reckoning into an exotic locale overflowing with sultry singles whose only goal is to flirt.
—
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
Sivka is a highly promising scoring threat who brings tantalizing versatility as a 6-foot-4 wing.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
On the other hand, the potential to solve mankind’s most vexing problems is tantalizing.
—G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026
His athleticism and skill set is tantalizing, to be sure, but that was true for players like Brandan Wright, Tyrus Thompson and Nerlens Noel.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tantalize
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
Sivka is a highly promising scoring threat who brings tantalizing versatility as a 6-foot-4 wing.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
On the other hand, the potential to solve mankind’s most vexing problems is tantalizing.
—G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026
His athleticism and skill set is tantalizing, to be sure, but that was true for players like Brandan Wright, Tyrus Thompson and Nerlens Noel.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tantalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tantalize
Verb
-
More than anything, Williams said she was intrigued about the way Golden State played last season and the energy brought to the arena each night.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Benjamin Moore’s China White If you’re intrigued by green but not quite ready to take the full plunge, Velten-Lattrell points to a recent project pairing Benjamin Moore’s China White on the main house with Farrow & Ball’s Treron (a herbaceous green) on the shutters.—
Marisa Suzanne Martin,
The Spruce,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Then, on Friday and Saturday, DeCosta would methodically attempt to upgrade his roster at numerous positions — with much of that energy geared toward enhancing star quarterback Lamar Jackson’s reality — a prospect that excited him as the three-day marathon approached.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Strong relationships also tend to go hand-in-hand with finding work that genuinely excites you—something Jassy has emphasized in his own career advice.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
They are also thrilled to be somewhere which, unlike Rikers, isn’t falling apart around them.—
Jonathan Lippman,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Still, the pinnacles of the heartland-rock canon continue to thrill us in unexpected ways.—
Jack Hamilton,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tantalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tantalize. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
