tempting

1 of 2

adjective

tempt·​ing ˈtem(p)-tiŋ How to pronounce tempting (audio)
Synonyms of temptingnext
: having an appeal : enticing entry 1
a tempting offer
temptingly adverb

tempting

2 of 2

present participle of tempt

Examples of tempting in a Sentence

Adjective The desserts look very tempting. It is tempting to think of him as the next American president.
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.
Adjective
For the Greek international to be so consistent with repeat actions like that tempting pass should be a massive help to Arsenal throughout the season. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026 There are plenty of dishes unique to Palm Beach, too—crudos, handmade pastas, lobster salad, and a particularly tempting dessert list—but the Riviera influence is unmistakable. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026 Some of the sale’s most tempting finds are styles that shoppers may recognize from last month’s Anniversary Sale, now available at even deeper discounts. — Camila Quimper, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2026 Perhaps most tempting of all is Emporio Sirenuse, a shop opposite the hotel entrance, now with a second spot at Le Sirenuse Mare. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tempting

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from present participle of tempt

First Known Use

Adjective

1588, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tempting was in 1588

Rhymes for tempting

See All Rhymes for tempting

Browse Nearby Words

tempt fate
tempting
temptress
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tempting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tempting. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

tempting

adjective
tempt·​ing ˈtem(p)-tiŋ How to pronounce tempting (audio)
: having a strong attraction
the food all looked tempting
temptingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on tempting

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tempting

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gist

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
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 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?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All