What does entice mean?
Entice is a verb meaning to tempt or attract someone toward an action or place by offering something appealing. Whether used of a bakery drawing customers with warm aromas or a company luring talent with better pay, the word centres on the power of allure rather than force: the person being enticed is led willingly, drawn by desire rather than pushed by pressure. English speakers use it frequently in advertising, recruitment, travel writing, and everyday persuasion, often paired with prepositions like 'into', 'away', or 'with'. Its connotation ranges from innocent charm to subtle manipulation, so context matters — enticing guests to stay for dessert differs sharply from enticing someone into a bad deal. Derived forms include the adjective 'enticing' and the noun 'enticement'. The word ultimately traces back to Latin roots relating to setting alight or provoking, making it a close cousin of 'incite'.
verbTo tempt or attract someone by offering something desirable or pleasant, often with the implication of luring them toward something.
- To tempt or attract by offering pleasure or advantage
- To lure or lead astray, often with a suggestion of deception (e.g. entice someone away from their duties)
"The smell of fresh bread enticed her into the bakery."
"Free samples were placed at the entrance to entice shoppers inside."
"The rival company tried to entice the engineer away with a higher salary."
Entice and incite are near-twins in spelling but opposites in effect — one whispers 'come hither,' the other shouts 'do it now!'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of entice
Entice comes from Old French 'enticiier', meaning to incite or provoke, which itself derives from Latin roots connected to stirring up or setting in motion. It entered English in the late Middle Ages and gradually shifted from a sense of provoking or instigating to its modern meaning of tempting through attraction. It shares distant origins with words like 'incite', both stemming from the idea of rousing someone to action — one through appeal, the other through agitation.
Related word forms
How entice is actually used
Commonly used in marketing, recruitment, and everyday persuasion contexts. The verb often appears with prepositions such as 'into', 'away', or 'with'. It carries a neutral to slightly manipulative connotation depending on context — enticing a child with candy sounds more sinister than enticing customers with a discount.
Easily confused with entice
'Entice' means to tempt by attraction, while 'incite' means to provoke or stir up action, often violent or unlawful.