lure

1 of 2

noun

ˈlu̇r 

1

: an object usually of leather or feathers attached to a long cord and used by a falconer to recall or exercise a hawk

2

a

: an inducement to pleasure or gain : enticement

the lure of adventure

the lure of her beauty

b

: appeal, attraction

may succumb to the lure of candy, sodas and other sweets

—Cheryl Jennings-Sauer

3

: a decoy for attracting animals to capture: such as

a

: artificial bait used for catching fish

b

: an often luminous (see luminous sense 1a) structure on the head of pediculate fishes that is used to attract prey

lure

2 of 2

verb

lured; luring

transitive verb

1

: to recall or exercise (a hawk) by means of a lure

2

: to draw with a hint of pleasure or gain : attract actively and strongly

Synonyms

Noun

• allurement
• bait
• come-on
• enticement
• siren song
• temptation
• turn-on

Verb

• allure
• bait
• beguile
• betray
• decoy
• entice
• lead on
• seduce
• solicit
• tempt

Choose the Right Synonym for lure

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 lure in a Sentence

Noun

the promise of easy money is always the lure for some people to play the lottery

the fish simply didn't seem to like the lure I was using, so I didn't catch a thing

Verb

They lured the bear out of its den.

The suburbs are luring middle-class families away from the city.

The police lured him back to the scene of the crime.

Explorers were lured to the area by tales of a city of gold.

An attractive window display can help to lure shoppers into the store.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The thrill of getting something for free, like a dozen doughnuts, easily overshadows the lure of a discount. —Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024

These additives, along with high levels of sugar, salt and fat, help create the overwhelming lure of ultraprocessed foods. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024

Verb

West’s story is commonplace in the predatory world of post-graduate football, where thousands of young men have been lured by the promise of achieving their athletic aspirations, a USA TODAY investigation found. —Kenny Jacoby, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024

Adding satellite service could help Apple lure some Garmin inReach fans who might want to have one less thing to carry even if the inReach’s hundreds of hours of battery life still win out for extended hikes. —Wes Davis, The Verge, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French lure, leure, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle High German luoder bait; perhaps akin to Old English lathian to invite, Old High German ladōn

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

lure

1 of 2 noun

ˈlu̇(ə)r 

1

a

: something that persuades one to perform an action for pleasure or gain : temptation

b

: appeal entry 1 sense 3, attraction

2

: a decoy for attracting animals to capture

especially : an artificial bait used for catching fish

lure

2 of 2 verb

lured; luring

: to tempt or lead away by offering some pleasure or advantage : entice