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Glite Dictionary
🍪 To tempt 😏 To tease harshly
to tantalize

to tantalize

6 7.4
To show something nice to someone and keep it just out of reach
  • verb
  • /ˈtæn.tə.laɪz/
translation icon : tentar
  • The advertisement was designed to tantalize customers with glimpses of the new gadget.

She she doesn't give us a ton of information there, just enough to fill in some gaps and tantalize us.

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Examples

  • The prospect of tailing him all the way to the scene of the action tantalized her.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • It's what our young readers want us to do—tantalize them from start to finish.

    Academic text (2008)

  • - Can I tantalize you with something?

    Cousins (1989)

  • Aaah, let me tantalize you.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • "Look at those tantalizing pies."

    The Shape of Water (2017)

  • And it was enticing; it tantalized her.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Tantalize his curiosity and emotions so he can't possibly stop reading until the end.

    Academic text (2008)

  • The aroma of the food was tantalizing and made my stomach churn.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • Summer closed her eyes and touched her lips to his, softly at first, in a butterfly kiss that tantalized.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • The boys fell to their chores, tantalized by the odors of roasting meat.

    Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

to tempt
vsto tantalize
146 3.3

Try to make someone want to do something, often something wrong or unwise

displays a wanted item but prevents access or satisfaction
to entice
vsto tantalize
61 4.9

To persuade someone to do something by offering something they want

shows something desirable yet keeps it unavailable to the person
to tease
vsto tantalize
  • NSFW
39 3.5

To make someone feel excited or curious without telling them more

keeps a desired thing visible but out of reach
to allure
vsto tantalize
6 6.5

To attract someone by using charm

shows attractive qualities but deliberately keeps them out of reach

Antonyms

to satisfy
172 2.0

Make someone happy by meeting their need or wish

How Tempting

to seduce
53 5.9
to tantalize
6 7.4
to tempt
146 3.3
to entice
61 4.9
to tease
  • NSFW
39 3.5

Surface Forms

tantalize infinitive
tantalized past
tantalized past participle
tantalizing present participle
tantalizes third person singular

Morphology

tantalize = Tantalus (opaque) = tantal + ize

Derived from the mythological name 'Tantalus' with '-ize'; understanding the reference is necessary to connect form to meaning, so it is not transparent for average learners.

Etymology

Tantalize comes from the Greek king Tantalus, who was punished by being shown food and water he could never get; so to 'tantalize' is to 'tempt' someone by showing something they want but keeping it out of reach.