lure implies a drawing into danger, evil, or difficulty through attracting and deceiving.
lured naive investors with get-rich-quick schemes
entice suggests drawing by artful or adroit means.
advertising designed to entice new customers
inveigle implies enticing by cajoling or flattering.
fund-raisers inveigling wealthy alumni
decoy implies a luring into entrapment by artifice.
attempting to decoy the enemy into an ambush
tempt implies the presenting of an attraction so strong that it overcomes the restraints of conscience or better judgment.
tempted by the offer of money
seduce implies a leading astray by persuasion or false promises.
seduced by assurances of assistance
Example Sentences
that chocolate dessert sure tempts me, but I should stick with my diet refusing to lay in enough food for the long winter tempts the dangers of starvation
Recent Examples on the WebOn has been on the rise as a running shoe, but, no need to tempt dad with actual running. Cassell Ferere, Forbes, 8 June 2022 The parent plans to float up to 25% of the equity in ThyssenKrupp Nucera, a leading supplier of machinery needed to produce the gas, and aims to tempt sustainably-minded investors with a growing order book already worth €900 million. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 19 Jan. 2022 Rustic picnic tables and sandstone blocks placed at intervals along these trails tempt hikers to sit for a spell. Rich Heileman, cleveland, 26 Aug. 2022 Sharp discounts at Gap should tempt customers, but perhaps not investors. Jinjoo Lee, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Both the talking fox Honest John (Keegan-Michael Key) and the terrifying Coachman (Luke Evans) tempt Pinocchio from the path of goodness. Christian Holub, EW.com, 24 Aug. 2022 Feeling isolated could tempt you to run away from your problems today.Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2022 Did Coinbase tempt the fates with last week’s veiled attack on the Securities and Exchange Commission? Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 26 July 2022 So not just any project could tempt her away from her home life. Linda Marx, PEOPLE.com, 6 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English tempten "to test, incite to sin, attempt," borrowed from Anglo-French tempter, temter, tenter, going back to Latin temptāre, tentāre "to feel, test, examine, attempt, make an assault on, attack" (Late Latin, "to incite to sin"), perhaps frequentative derivative from an Indo-European verbal base *temp- "stretch, extend" (hence, "grope for, feel") — more at tempo