inveigle

verb

in·​vei·​gle in-ˈvā-gəl How to pronounce inveigle (audio)
 sometimes  -ˈvē-
inveigled; inveigling in-ˈvā-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce inveigle (audio)
 sometimes  -ˈvē-
Synonyms of inveiglenext

transitive verb

1
: to win over by wiles : entice
2
: to acquire by ingenuity or flattery : wangle
inveigled her way into a promotion
inveiglement
in-ˈvā-gəl-mənt How to pronounce inveigle (audio)
 sometimes  -ˈvē-
noun
inveigler
in-ˈvā-g(ə-)lər How to pronounce inveigle (audio)
 sometimes  -ˈvē-
noun

Did you know?

Inveigle, a word that dates from the 16th century, refers to the act of using clever talk, trickery, or flattery either to persuade somebody to do something or to obtain something, but etymologically the word is linked to eyesight—or the lack thereof. Inveigle came to English from the Anglo-French verb enveegler, meaning "to blind or hoodwink someone," from the adjective enveugle, meaning "blind." Enveugle derives from the Medieval Latin ab oculis, a phrase which literally translates to "lacking eyes."

Choose the Right Synonym for inveigle

lure, entice, inveigle, decoy, tempt, seduce 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

entice suggests drawing by artful or adroit means.

advertising designed to entice new customers

inveigle implies enticing by cajoling or flattering.

fund-raisers inveigling wealthy alumni

decoy implies a luring into entrapment by artifice.

attempting to decoy the enemy into an ambush

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

seduce implies a leading astray by persuasion or false promises.

seduced by assurances of assistance

Examples of inveigle in a Sentence

She inveigled him to write the letter. We inveigled the information from him.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
On hand for the séance is a thoroughly skeptical Poirot, inveigled to attend by a mystery-novelist friend, Ariadne Oliver. — Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2023 Norman Mailer tried to inveigle his dinner guests into an orgy, and not long after wrote a cruel letter to Styron, breaking off their friendship. — Marion Winik, Washington Post, 15 June 2023

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French enveegler, aveogler, avogler to blind, hoodwink, from avogle, enveugle blind, from Medieval Latin ab oculis, literally, lacking eyes

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of inveigle was in 1539

Phrases Containing inveigle

Rhymes for inveigle

See All Rhymes for inveigle

Browse Nearby Words

inveigle
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Inveigle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inveigle. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

inveigle

verb
in·​vei·​gle in-ˈvā-gəl How to pronounce inveigle (audio)
inveigled; inveigling -g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce inveigle (audio)
1
: to win over by flattery : entice
was inveigled into helping out
2
: to acquire by cleverness or flattery : wangle
inveigled a new bike from my father

Legal Definition

inveigle

transitive verb
in·​vei·​gle in-ˈvā-gəl, -ˈvē- How to pronounce inveigle (audio)
inveigled; inveigling
: to lure by false representations or other deceit
whoever unlawfully…inveigles, decoys, kidnaps, abducts, or carries away and holds for ransom or reward or otherwise any person…shall be punished by imprisonment— U.S. Code

More from Merriam-Webster on inveigle

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for inveigle

Nglish: Translation of inveigle for Spanish Speakers

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All