LURE Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

lure 1 of 2

verb

Definition of lure

as in to tempt

to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage the hunter lured the lion into the open with the antelope carcass

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lure

2 of 2

noun

ˈlu̇r

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

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

repellent

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

Neighbors said the man began kicking and mistreating the dog before eventually luring the husky away from the yard with food. — Hunter Sowards, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 There is always a new spectacle, a new gimmick to lure people into a theater and justify the cost of a ticket. — Sam Fleischner, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026

Noun

Everybody knows already, one hopes, not to trust the lure of quick cash, especially as it is depicted on TV. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026 The entire roll call of avant-garde movements—from Futurism, Dadaism, and Surrealism in the first part of the twentieth century to Situationism, Happenings, and Fluxus in the second—submitted to the lure of aleatory forces. — Artforum, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lure

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lure

Verb

Many clients are tempted to move to a low-tax locale like Florida or Texas before a big exit.

— Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Libra September 23 – October 22 You may be tempted to spend, commit, or say yes a little too quickly this morning.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of tempt

Noun

Rather than doing a literal adaptation, the creators kept the book’s DNA and tweaked the ideas of evil, temptation and power with a contemporary twist.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
But the battle against the temptation of price promotions is long and one that has had the industry continually losing ground.

— Evan Clark, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of temptation

Noun

In this seduction, in a text that manages to be both grandiose and intimate, Rice works the mysterious alchemy of creating permanence.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
Collections this week were versatile, taking the client from day to evening with a sense of seduction and confidence.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of seduction

Verb

Armani’s languid silhouette soon seduced red- and blue-blooded men the world over.

— Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
The second allows the devil to slide into his DMs, utilizing a seduce-and-destroy approach that will eventually lead to Sutskever becoming OpenAI’s resident Chicken Little and the tech industry’s conscientious objector.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of seduce

Noun

Strong demand for oil, particularly from Asia, continues to provide an incentive for tanker operators to transport energy supplies from the Persian Gulf, even as security threats complicate voyages.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
But Sawie emphasized that this work is just part of the solution, noting that real progress can’t be made until farmers have access to reliable markets and incentives that recognize the work put into transitioning to organic practices.

— Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of incentive

Verb

But while Cartman and Ike are in Sephora, they get enticed into going into the backrooms with an employee, which look straight out of Kane Parsons’ horror film.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Some blame the content for not being enticing enough, while others contend that the programs could be promoted better on Netflix.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of entice

Noun

Carnival's larger ships include attractions such as a roller coaster at sea, while Norwegian offers amenities including water parks, go-kart racing and virtual-reality gaming.

— Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
What contributed to making the Kyoto moment a more visible one is also Japan’s longstanding attraction to visitors.

— Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of attraction

Browse Nearby Words

lurching

lure

lured

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Lure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lure. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of lure

verb

noun

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on lure

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes