verb

• 1Entice or try to entice (someone) to do something that they find attractive but know to be wrong or unwise.

  ‘there'll always be someone tempted by the rich pickings of poaching’

  More example sentences

  • ‘jobs which involve entertaining may tempt you to drink more than you intend’
  • ‘Sometimes, he says, the bad spirits tempt him to do wrong.’
  • ‘Their main goal in life is to entice and tempt men.’
  • ‘She tempts him to drink and he loses his precious manuscript.’
  • ‘His hair was rich and thick, tempting her to slide her hands through it.’
  • ‘Trips to country pubs, barbecues and parties often tempt people to drink alcohol when they would not otherwise normally do.’
  • ‘They use low pricing to tempt people into drinking to excess.’
  • ‘Christ was tempted, yet he could not sin.’
  • ‘When drugs are easy to obtain, more people are tempted and seduced.’

  Synonyms

  entice, persuade, convince, inveigle, induce, cajole, coax, woo

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1be tempted to do somethingHave an urge or inclination to do something.
     ‘I was tempted to look at my watch, but didn't dare’
     More example sentences

     • ‘Hospital staff were tempted to give a name to the the unknown child.’
     • ‘Some clients were tempted to take out expensive loans to pay for private dental treatment.’
     • ‘They were tempted to walk out halfway through the performance.’
     • ‘We were tempted to return to our warm old hotel.’
     • ‘Even smaller companies were tempted to reward clients with treats.’
     • ‘None of them were tempted to take a dip in the river.’
     • ‘There have been times when we were tempted to change location or expand.’
     • ‘I was tempted to stop for ice cream.’
     • ‘I was tempted to make fun of him.’
     • ‘I am tempted to lower my standards and do shoddy work.’
     • ‘I am always tempted not to contact friends who don't contact me.’
     • ‘You're always tempted to order pizza late at night.’
     • ‘I was actually tempted to convince him to come back to the band.’
     • ‘I was tempted to just head home.’
     • ‘I was nearly tempted to kill myself.’
     • ‘I am really tempted to steal his drinks.’
     • ‘I'm really tempted to buy it.’
     • ‘I am always tempted to revise more for my stronger topics.’
     • ‘When something goes wrong, you're just tempted to buy a new one.’
     • ‘I have to admit that I was nearly tempted to get involved in a couple, but I did not.’
  2. 1.2Persuade (someone) to do something.
     ‘he was tempted out of retirement to save the team from relegation’
     More example sentences

     • ‘This game looks fun enough to tempt me out of retirement.’
     • ‘They are tempting people in with the promise of exciting speakers or novelties.’
     • ‘After some persuading he has been tempted out to a nearby cafe for this chat.’
     • ‘The champion had been tempted out of retirement for one last fight.’
     • ‘The star has been tempted out of retirement for a special show.’
     • ‘Will the proposed financial and lifestyle benefits prove enough to tempt workers to a rural idyll?’
     • ‘The company is always looking to tempt users to replace their PCs when faster processors hit the market.’
  3. 1.3 archaic Risk provoking (a deity or abstract force), usually with undesirable consequences.
     ‘how is it that ye have agreed together, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?’
     More example sentences

     • ‘He claims you're always trying to tempt God with whiskey and cigars.’