to entice

Examples

• All

• She tried to entice him with the promise of a delicious dinner if he agreed to help.

• Local communities and states outdo each other with fiscal incentives to entice foreign direct investment that creates employment.

  Academic text (2008)

• The present U.S. approach seeks to entice China to join the existing global economic order.

  Academic text (2008)

• They have to, they have to entice you to buy their stuff.

  Tom Bilyeu

• OK, all right, well, let's just throw a little bit, see if we can entice those catfish.

• Could that be something that entices him to continue with their agenda?

• Nothing will entice him to venture beyond the herd's protection.

  March of the Dinosaurs (2011)

• Hey, mister, you didn't need to go and entice me.

  Gone to Earth (1950)

• We aspired not only to lead them all but also to entice socialist countries to join us as well.

  Academic text (1999)

• Each year, our national parks entice thousands of people to relish their beauty and recreational opportunities.

  Academic text (1992)

Synonyms

C

to convince

vsto entice

∞ 2.7

Make someone believe something is true or agree to do something

focuses more on attracting by offers rather than proving truth

U

to urge

vsto entice

591 3.2

To strongly encourage someone to do something

uses attraction or tempting rewards rather than just strong advice

P

to persuade

vsto entice

472 2.7

To make someone agree or do something by giving reasons

leans more on offering attractive incentives and sometimes trickery

M

to motivate

vsto entice

437 3.5

Make someone want to do something

is more about making something seem tempting or appealing, sometimes deceitfully

H

to hook

vsto entice

330 4.6

To attract someone and make them want to be involved, sometimes by a trick

is focused on causing action by offering something attractive

L

to lure

vsto entice

270 3.7

To get someone to do something by offering a reward or making false promises

is broader, not limited to false promises though often deceptive

T

to talk into

vsto entice

236 3.0

Make someone agree to do something by giving reasons

uses attraction or tempting offers rather than mainly argument

T

to tempt

vsto entice

146 3.3

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

adds a stronger sense of offering an appealing reward or lure

I

to invite

vsto entice

93 4.4

To make someone want to come closer or start a conversation

adds an active persuading element, often using offered appeal or trick

S

to seduce

vsto entice

53 5.9

Persuade someone to give up duties or beliefs by offering something attractive

is similar but can apply to any appealing persuasion, not only duty

I

to induce

vsto entice

51 4.9

Persuade someone to do something

often involves making the action seem appealing, sometimes deceptively

I

to incentivize

vsto entice

• Formal

26 5.5

Give people a reward to make them do something

is less formal and more about attractive or deceptive persuasion

B

to bait

vsto entice

18 3.2

To use something to lure a person, animal or fish into a trap

focuses on attraction or persuasion rather than outright entrapment

C

to cajole

vsto entice

15 7.7

To persuade someone to do something by gentle talk and praise

is more likely to rely on attractive offers and possible deception

S

to solicit

vsto entice

• NSFW

7 7.7

Urge someone to do something illegal

is broader and not necessarily tied to illegality, but can be deceptive

T

to tantalize

vsto entice

6 7.4

To show something nice to someone and keep it just out of reach

actively persuades rather than merely teasing or withholding

A

to allure

vsto entice

6 6.5

To attract someone by using charm

adds a persuasive element often tied to an offered incentive or trick

B

to beguile

vsto entice

4 8.4

To attract and charm someone while tricking them

is more about causing action by appeal, sometimes deceptively

I

to inveigle

vsto entice

• Formal

2 9.5

To get someone to do something by flattering or tricking them

uses appeal or reward more overtly rather than mainly flattery

D

to dangle a carrot

vsto entice

• Informal

1 4.4

Offer a small reward to make someone do something

can use appealing promises but also includes subtle deception

P

to put up to

vsto entice

• Informal

1 6.8

To persuade someone to do something they would not do on their own

is similar but specifically uses appeal or attractive offers, sometimes shady

O

to offer a carrot

vsto entice

• Informal

3.7

To give a small reward, like money or time off, to encourage someone to do something

is more general persuasion by appeal and can use trickery

U

to use a carrot

vsto entice

• Informal

4.2

Offer a reward to encourage someone to do something

may also appeal through charm or misleading attraction rather than reward alone

Antonyms

D

to dissuade

35 6.0

To try to stop someone from doing something by talking to them

R

to repel

21 4.2

Make someone or something move back and stay away, often by using force

How Tempting

to seduce

53 5.9

to lure

270 3.7

to tempt

146 3.3

to entice

61 4.9

to attract

991 1.9

Surface Forms

Etymology