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lure 1 of 2

lure

2 of 2

noun

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
Actually haven’t really got lured into any TV appearances or anything like that. Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2025 An Iowa woman is accused of luring a man to her apartment, where accomplices laid in wait to rob him, but the scheme ended with the 25-year-old shot and killed, police say and news outlets report. Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
Plus, of course, there’s the simple fact that the siren-song lure of Thailand’s on-screen beauty will be impossible for any viewer to resist. Liam Hess, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2025 The lure of Saudi investment deals In contrast to Syria, Trump is eager to work closely with Saudi Arabia. Greg Myre, NPR, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lure
Verb
  • You may be tempted to fall back and go to sleep right then and there.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 7 Mar. 2025
  • As per usual, the NFL player was in the comment section fawning over the singer and tempting her with a good time.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This year, the temptation to chase the next shiny object will be strong.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Everyone’s temptations, whether helpful or not, come into view at the same time.
    Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The America's Next Top Model creator repeatedly tried to get the Coyote cast to sing the tune, though none of them took the bait.
    Rachel Flynn, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Within minutes, at least two of the employees took the bait and followed instructions to open the Quick Assist remote access app built into Windows and hand off control of their desktops to the person on the other end.
    Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The quintessential vampire is instantly recognizable not just from his jet-black widow’s peak, association with bats, and black-and-red cape, but also from his well-mannered nature and unique powers of hypnosis and seduction.
    Celia Mattison, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
  • Yet jewelers are hardly the only ones who have fallen prey to the snake’s powers of seduction.
    Victoria Gomelsky, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Cruz, 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona' (2009) Woody Allen's romantic comedy stars Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson as friends who travel to Spain and are seduced by a local painter (Javier Bardem).
    Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Cookbook authors suggested preparing French food at home to seduce a lover.
    Rachel Hope Cleves / Made by History, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • New state and federal incentives will pay the bulk of the cost for the upgrade, making this an even more cost-effective choice.
    Ben Roush, Baltimore Sun, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Within days of taking office, Trump signed an executive order pausing the disbursement of funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, despite the fact that red states have largely benefited from the legislation’s clean energy incentives.
    Bella Kubach, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Instead, General Catalyst is in rapid expansion mode — trying to build the sort of diversified, fee-generating asset base that would entice Wall Street analysts to use firms like Blackstone as comps.
    Dan Primack, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025
  • But the black-and-white film about two Black couples, played by the same actors, living in Chicago during two different time periods, didn’t entice distributors.
    Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The city has an opportunity to build an international attraction that would resonate for generations to come, Warren told a crowd of supporters at the Bears current home, 100-year-old Soldier Field.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025
  • All include Agra and the Taj Mahal, plus a range of top attractions such as tigers or Udaipur, the lake city, Varanasi, and Jaipur, the pink city.
    Larry Olmsted, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lure. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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