1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
a smart and beguiling child who can manipulate her parents with alarming ease
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive
the beguiling allure of a life of crime
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
as in fascinating
to attract or delight as if by magic
the magician effortlessly beguiled and amazed the children
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2
as in deceiving
to cause to believe what is untrue
beguiled her into believing that yet another worthless item would enhance her life
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3
as in tempting
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage
was beguiled by the promise of easy money as a drug dealer
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of beguiling
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 June 2025
The protagonist of this beguiling novel, Lina, lives with her father in a realm seemingly unbound by ordinary time.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Meander through the beguiling mind of a theater actress, take a siblings road trip that challenges the very notion of family, or delve into a deep, personal secret.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 6 June 2025
Whether in a 19th-century château with a private garden, an Art Deco mansion with an intriguing history, or at a former fashion atelier reimagined for the present day, the city’s hotels invite you to experience Paris at its most beautiful and beguiling.
—Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for beguiling
Adjective
Yet the film is more like a beguiling contradiction — a rom-com played straight.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 June 2025
The protagonist of this beguiling novel, Lina, lives with her father in a realm seemingly unbound by ordinary time.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Meander through the beguiling mind of a theater actress, take a siblings road trip that challenges the very notion of family, or delve into a deep, personal secret.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 6 June 2025
Whether in a 19th-century château with a private garden, an Art Deco mansion with an intriguing history, or at a former fashion atelier reimagined for the present day, the city’s hotels invite you to experience Paris at its most beautiful and beguiling.
—Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for beguiling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beguiling
Adjective
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Köhler specializes in cunning, tonally surprising films about cross-cultural disconnection, and Gavagai is his most ambitious and expansive film yet—a pinpoint-accurate account of moral crises and social biases, modern and ancient, internal and external.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
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But as the supervisors tweaked the incentives, a new form of cunning arose.—
Craig S. Smith,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
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The show, hosted by actor Alan Cumming and set in a remote Scottish castle, features reality TV veterans and celebrities working together—and often deceiving each other—in challenges for a cash prize.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
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Appearances, though, can be deceiving.—
Bob Harkins,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Cups are often the first things to go, and these are cute enough that people will want to take them home.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
23 Aug. 2025
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But for those trying to make their warm-weather pieces last a bit longer, a cute layer will do the trick.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
People.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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These emails are loaded with deceptive links that lead to malware infections, and the consequences can be severe.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Match Group, the parent company of Match.com, Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid, and PlentyOfFish, has agreed to pay $14 million to settle a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission about deceptive advertising practices.—
Chris Morris,
Fortune,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The promise of a $225,000 starting salary at a top corporate law firm is luring many, making the financial burden of law school seem more justifiable.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
18 Mar. 2025
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Ewen says the task for Southwest will be striking a balance between luring new customers, which could potentially improve financials, and keeping existing customers happy.—
Dallas Morning News,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In cybersecurity, subtle complexities and technicalities matter.—
David Bennett,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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The new species was identified by its body proportions, spines, scale pattern, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As a part of the settlement, the false electors acknowledged their actions were used in an attempt to overturn an election.—
Jessie Opoien,
jsonline.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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In that, his attorneys alleged state prosecutors presented false evidence, including that Creech committed a Southern California cold-case murder, at a clemency hearing last year, when Idaho’s parole board deadlocked over whether to drop Creech’s sentence to life in prison.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Nearly all bird species feed their young insects, so planting native greenery that attracts bugs can be enticing to hummingbirds.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Mar. 2025
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Experts say the falling rate could thaw the largely frozen housing market by enticing buyers off the sidelines.—
Kevin Williams,
Quartz,
13 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beguiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beguiling. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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