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Glite Dictionary
drawing card

drawing card

1 4.2
A person or thing that attracts many people to a place
  • noun
  • /ˈdrɔɪŋ kɑrd/
  • UK
translation icon : atractivo
  • a big drawing card
  • the top drawing card

Why is homophobia such a drawing card in the region?

Examples

  • Worst of all, Marbella was no longer the drawing card it had been for so long.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The arrival of local fire, police, and EMS personnel is, naturally, a drawing card for people in the area.

    Academic text (2007)

  • "Maravich was pegged as the great white hope of the ball club," in Caldwell's view, "as well as its main drawing card."

    Academic text (2014)

  • The new exhibition at the museum is the main drawing card for increasing visitor numbers this summer.

  • The annual music festival is a huge drawing card that attracts thousands of fans from around the country.

  • The celebrity guest speaker is considered a major drawing card for the conference, promising to boost attendance significantly.

Synonyms

attraction
vsdrawing card
141 2.0

A show, event, or place that draws visitors

is broader, also naming people and characteristics that bring attention
draw
vsdrawing card
31 4.0

A performer or event that brings many people

is more general, covering people, things, or features that bring interest
attractive feature
vsdrawing card
1 3.7

A part of something that people like or notice

can name people or things as well as pleasing characteristics
attractor
vsdrawing card
1 6.7

A thing that draws people or attention, like free food at an event

is broader, applying also to whole people or objects not only characteristics
attractant
vsdrawing card
5.1

Something that brings people or gets attention because it is interesting

is used for people, things, or features without saying why they bring interest

Antonyms

repellent
3 5.3

A quality that makes people or things stay away

How Attractive

attraction
141 2.0
drawing card
  • UK
1 4.2
feature
566 2.5

Surface Forms

drawing card singular
drawing cards plural

Morphology

draw + card

The sense 'something that attracts' is largely derivable from 'draw' (to pull in/attract) combined with 'card' understood as a person or thing, so a learner who knows those constituent meanings can infer the MWE. However, 'card' in the sense 'an amusing person' is a relatively rare sense and the compound form (often seen as 'drawcard') is not entirely regular, so the relation is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Drawing card may come from old fairs where a large printed card or sign was put outside to 'draw' people in, so the idea of drawing, or pulling people, and the card came together. That's why a drawing card now means 'something that attracts people or attention'.