lure 1 of 2

verb

Definition of lurenext
as in to tempt
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage the hunter lured the lion into the open with the antelope carcass

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lure

2 of 2

noun

ˈlu̇r How to pronounce lure (audio)
1
as in temptation
something that persuades one to perform an action for pleasure or gain the promise of easy money is always the lure for some people to play the lottery good schools are a lure for prospective home buyers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bait
something used to attract animals to a hook or into a trap the fish simply didn't seem to like the lure I was using, so I didn't catch a thing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in seduction
the act or pressure of giving in to a desire especially when ill-advised the lure of the video game was distracting me from my studies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb lure differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of lure are decoy, entice, inveigle, seduce, and tempt. While all these words mean "to lead astray from one's true course," lure implies a drawing into danger, evil, or difficulty through attracting and deceiving.

lured naive investors with get-rich-quick schemes

When might decoy be a better fit than lure?

In some situations, the words decoy and lure are roughly equivalent. However, decoy implies a luring into entrapment by artifice.

attempting to decoy the enemy into an ambush

When is entice a more appropriate choice than lure?

The synonyms entice and lure are sometimes interchangeable, but entice suggests drawing by artful or adroit means.

advertising designed to entice new customers

When is it sensible to use inveigle instead of lure?

While in some cases nearly identical to lure, inveigle implies enticing by cajoling or flattering.

fund-raisers inveigling wealthy alumni

Where would seduce be a reasonable alternative to lure?

Although the words seduce and lure have much in common, seduce implies a leading astray by persuasion or false promises.

seduced by assurances of assistance

When would tempt be a good substitute for lure?

The words tempt and lure are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

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 lure
Verb
From the celeb-exclusive app Raya to more mainstream platforms such as Tinder and Bumble, the online dating scene has lured a handful of A-listers. —Lydia Price, People.com, 16 July 2025 But Type One has been lured to Tennessee by its $50 million nuclear energy fund and collaborations with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. —Kathleen Gallagher, jsonline.com, 15 July 2025
Noun
For much of the U.S.’s existence, productivity stateside has proven a powerful lure for global capital. —John Tamny, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025 While salmon sperm facials and injections aren’t new in Eastern skincare, the lure of it all is just now hitting the US. —India Espy-Jones, Essence, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for lure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lure
  1. tempt
  2. temptation
  3. bait
  4. seduction
  5. seduce
  6. incentive
  7. entice
  8. attraction
Verb
  • Address: Andros 845 00, Greece Wellness travelers will be tempted by the offerings at Kea Retreat, a family-run boutique hotel located in a hillside nature reserve above the pristine blue waters of Psathi Bay.
    — Monica Mendal, Vogue, 15 July 2025
  • Luxe new all-inclusive resorts like Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets now tempt visitors to stick around past sunset rather than take the ferry home at the end of the day.
    — Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2025
Definition of tempt
Noun
  • The temptation is strong to classify Untamed, the new series from screenwriter Mark L. Smith and his daughter Elle Smith, as Netflix’s answer to Paramount’s Yellowstone.
    — Andy Crump, Time, 20 July 2025
  • The Risk Of Outsourcing Meaning As artificial intelligence becomes more common in corporate workflows, there’s a growing temptation to treat memory as another system to automate.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Definition of temptation
Noun
  • The Field School trips, by contrast, give an unbiased sampling of whatever goes for its bait.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 22 July 2025
  • Using three potential scenarios, the hour-long episode breaks down survival tactics that could mean the difference between life and death for an unlucky human shark bait.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 20 July 2025
Definition of bait
Noun
  • The film follows detective Nick Curran (Douglas) investigating a brutal murder that leads him into a dangerous game of seduction with prime suspect Catherine Tramell (Stone), a manipulative crime novelist.
    — Katcy Stephan, Variety, 17 July 2025
  • Before the month comes to a close, Venus will enter Cancer on July 30, adding a layer of harmony and sweet seduction to your eighth house of mergers and intimacy.
    — Valerie Mesa, People.com, 10 July 2025
Definition of seduction
Verb
  • Split rumors arose when Furlan revealed that she had been seduced by a catfish posing as musician Ronnie Radke.
    — Bailey Richards, People.com, 20 July 2025
  • Instead, Piero and Lara are cautiously trying to seduce one another while protecting themselves from shagging what could be a crazy person.
    — Peter Debruge, Variety, 16 July 2025
Definition of seduce
Noun
  • As an example, traditional regulatory efforts tend to be seen as restrictive, while industrial policy typically incorporates enabling incentives to stimulate private or public sector action.
    — Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
  • Those higher prices give ranchers more incentive to sell cows now to capture profits instead of hanging onto them for breeding given that prices in the years ahead may decrease, Anderson said.
    — Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
Definition of incentive
Verb
  • For six months, President Trump tried to entice Putin to the table.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 July 2025
  • Culinary delight often begins with a visual feast that entices people to indulge in delicious flavors.
    — Molly Peck, USA Today, 10 July 2025
Definition of entice
Noun
  • The source noted that philanthropy is part of their mutual attraction.
    — Catherine Santino, People.com, 25 July 2025
  • Other recent theme park incidents that made headlines include a backstage fire at Epcot at Walt Disney World in Florida, and riders who jumped off of a raft ride after becoming stuck on the attraction at Six Flags Over Texas in June 2024.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 25 July 2025
Definition of attraction

Browse Nearby Words

lurching
lure
lured
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lure. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on lure

Nglish: Translation of lure for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lure

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All