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
In years past, I’ve been lured in by the promise of free filing from commercial tax-prep software, only to find out that my situation doesn’t qualify. Liz Knueven, CNBC, 21 Mar. 2025 Jamie Carragher spoke about how he was lured out of international retirement specifically to work with Capello, having grown up admiring the defensive quality of his old Milan side. Michael Cox, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
Being at Penn State, at a place that at times felt a world away instead of 3-1/2 hours from his native Philadelphia, was part of the lure. Audrey Snyder, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025 Ultimately, though, successful attacks are all about the lure. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lure
Verb
  • After this went down, one might be tempted to joke that Rodgers was in store for a green room retreat!
    Jim Reineking, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The first half hour is filled with the weirdly neutral techno jargon of soldiers jabbering code words into their headphones to what I (as a know-nothing) am tempted to call Mission Control.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Making savings automatic helps remove the temptation to dip into those funds.
    Letitia Berbaum, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The native of New York was the portrait of the struggling artist who bounced from small gigs to part-time jobs just to pay the rent, all the while pushing back the temptation to end the dream.
    Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • So, there also might be less hesitation to cut bait with a player taken under Jerod Mayo’s regime, even with Eliot Wolf still in his role as executive vice president of player personnel.
    Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Where Democrats have fallen short is taking the bait and falling into the trap and debating whether or not trans people have a right to exist and instead of just saying this is not a decision for politicians in Washington.
    Charlotte Alter, Time, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The filmmakers’ gaze sometimes stops to watch a specific event, like a dance or a discreet seduction.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Pérez’s Mimì doesn’t seem to worry about seduction either way; in this production, Rodolfo is the calm from the storm of her life.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Single women—more likely, naturally, to be seduced by the devil—were disproportionately executed for witchcraft.
    Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Taking over a century-old garden house hidden within Shanghai’s storied alleys, Samuel Gui Yang softly partitioned the space, seducing the audience yet making every one of them a clandestine voyeur.
    Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Trump says tariffs will force other countries to lower their own rates on U.S. goods and services, creating a more balanced economic playing field for U.S. exports and a strong incentive for companies to manufacture goods such as cars inside the U.S. to avoid paying the tax.
    John Bacon, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
  • As such, there is little incentive for non-citizens to try to vote, Levitt said.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • One reason is that in order to entice people to buy its stock, a company needs to offer potential shareholders something in return.
    Jenny Van Leeuwen Harrington, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Those touches are some of the reasons that entice fans to buy from brands.
    John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The park has grown to include over 50 attractions, the most recent being Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, inspired by The Princess and the Frog.
    Rachel Flynn, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Another new attraction on Sentosa Island is the Sentosa Sensoryscape, an approximately 10-minute-long experiential walk made up of digital light projections and glowing art, which opened in March 2024.
    Nicole Trilivas, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lure. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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