1
as in seduces
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage
that chocolate dessert sure tempts me, but I should stick with my diet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in risks
to take a chance on
refusing to lay in enough food for the long winter tempts the dangers of starvation
Synonyms & Similar 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 tempts
Their taste runs so deeply Hollywood, their references so opulent and cinematic, that even a drink tray—in its cream lacquer and chrome border—tempts a standing ovation.
—
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 22 Apr. 2026
If a purchase tempts you, say your budget aloud, then choose the upgrade that truly supports daily life.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2026
Like its predecessor, nearly every second of A Wave That Will Never Break tempts skepticism, albeit an inversion of that which WU LYF once inspired.
—Ian Cohen, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2026
The moon’s clash with Venus tempts you to prove your loyalty to a crush in all the wrong ways.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2026
If a hobby upgrade tempts you, open a spreadsheet to compare options before opening your wallet!
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Which horizon tempts your curious steps now?
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
November 22 – December 21 Which horizon tempts your curious steps now?
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
An untrustworthy future tempts us to either disengage, retreat into cynicism, or live angry.
—Phillip Halpern, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 22 Apr. 2026
If a purchase tempts you, say your budget aloud, then choose the upgrade that truly supports daily life.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2026
Like its predecessor, nearly every second of A Wave That Will Never Break tempts skepticism, albeit an inversion of that which WU LYF once inspired.
—Ian Cohen, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2026
The moon’s clash with Venus tempts you to prove your loyalty to a crush in all the wrong ways.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2026
If a hobby upgrade tempts you, open a spreadsheet to compare options before opening your wallet!
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Which horizon tempts your curious steps now?
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
November 22 – December 21 Which horizon tempts your curious steps now?
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
An untrustworthy future tempts us to either disengage, retreat into cynicism, or live angry.
—Phillip Halpern, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempts
Verb
-
Intrigued, the Duke secretly seduces Gilda, breaks her heart and destroys Rigoletto’s life.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The victim of his sacrifice is Gretchen, a virgin whom Faust seduces and abandons in his devilish reverie, and who kills their illegitimate child.—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The trial risks complicating OpenAI's plans for a potential initial public offering by casting doubt on its leadership.—
Deepa Seetharaman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Additionally, Brockman and Altman could be dropped as officers, and Altman risks losing his seat on OpenAI’s board.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Borage An annual herb with bright bluish-purple flowers, borage entices important insects to the garden.—
Lauren David,
Martha Stewart,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Loot boxes in the crosshairs James alleges Valve entices players to pay for a chance to win a rare virtual item, and that those rare items can be traded for real money in accordance with their rarity.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Jackson Five find success; then, in the late seventies, the adult Michael (played, with extraordinary flair, by Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s real-life nephew) seeks a solo career—and confronts Joe’s domineering maneuvers.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Moments after arriving, Donaldson confronts the driver, who was still inside the car; the officer ends up being pulled into DeSouza’s getaway car by the force of acceleration, while attempting to reach in and pull him out.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Newly opened Fowlescombe Farm, a 450-acre estate in south Devon, England, where Tamworth piglets and Manx Loaghtan sheep roam free and wildflowers are encouraged to be picked, lures guests with the promise of slow living.—
Jen Murphy,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
-
At the same time, Katie gets abducted by a mysterious neighbor (Hayat Kamille), who lures her in with her favorite chocolates.—
Gregory Nussen,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Whale lusts after a hunky gardener (Brendan Fraser) and persuades him to pose for a few sketches; Julian, though bisexual, expresses no such interest in Lori, and any art-making turns out to be a gratifyingly mutual endeavor.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The confidence heuristic explains why certainty persuades us.—
Nick Dothée,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But the plot also retains a serial quality that saps momentum and betrays its TV roots.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Don’t skip eye cream The under-eye area is often the first place that betrays a late night or an early alarm.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tempts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempts. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
