What does attracted mean?
"Attracted" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "attract," meaning to have drawn something or someone closer, either through physical force or through appeal. It covers a wide range of contexts: a magnet is attracted to iron, a crowd may be attracted to a street performer, and a person can be attracted to another romantically or intellectually. The word carries largely positive connotations when applied to people and ideas, suggesting charm, interest, or desirability, though it remains neutral in scientific usage. It commonly appears in fixed phrases such as "attracted attention" and "strongly attracted to." Derived from the Latin "attrahere," meaning "to pull toward," it belongs to a family of related words including "attraction" and "attractive." Its versatility makes it essential for describing everything from physics to human relationships.
verb (past tense and past participle of attract)The past tense and past participle of the verb "attract": to have drawn someone or something toward oneself or itself, whether physically, emotionally, or by arousing interest or admiration.
- To have caused someone or something to move toward or come closer (physical drawing).
- To have aroused interest, admiration, or liking in someone.
- To have caused people to come to a place or event (e.g., an audience, customers, crowds).
"The exhibition attracted thousands of visitors in its first week."
"She was attracted to his quiet confidence and dry sense of humour."
"The new policy attracted widespread criticism from across the industry."
From the Latin for "to pull toward," attracted is the word behind magnets, moths, and millions of first dates.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of attracted
"Attracted" derives from Latin "attractus," the past participle of "attrahere," composed of "ad-" (toward) and "trahere" (to pull or drag). The root verb "attract" entered English via Middle French in the late Middle Ages, originally carrying the literal sense of drawing objects together before extending to human interest and emotion. It shares its Latin root "trahere" with words such as "tractor," "extract," and "contract."
Related word forms
How attracted is actually used
Neutral in register, suitable for formal and informal contexts. When describing romantic or emotional attraction, it is typically used with the preposition "to." In passive constructions ("was attracted by/to"), "by" usually marks the source of a physical pull while "to" marks the target of emotional or personal attraction.
Easily confused with attracted
"Attached" means fastened to or emotionally bonded with something, while "attracted" means drawn toward it by appeal or force.