WordGarden.ioseduce
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /sɪdjˈuːs/
US
- /sɪˈdus/
Meanings
Verb
to persuade or attract someone into sexual activity or intimacy
to entice or tempt someone into doing or accepting something
Beyond the definition
To seduce someone is often about sexual or romantic attraction, but not always. It usually means drawing a person in with charm, flattery, or desire until they want something they did not plan to want before. In a wider sense, it can also describe being strongly tempted by something, like an idea, a promise, or even a beautiful smell from a bakery. In older writing, the word often suggests leading someone into a wrong choice, so it can carry a hint of manipulation as well as attraction.
The word "seduce" has a strong and layered meaning. At its heart, it means to draw someone in through charm, desire, or temptation. Very often, it refers to attracting someone in a sexual or romantic way. In that sense, a person may try to seduce another person with attention, beauty, flattering words, or a carefully created mood.
But the word is not limited to romance. It is also used for any strong pull that works on a person's wishes or weak points. An advertisement might seduce you into buying something you do not need. A luxurious lifestyle might seduce someone into debt. A rich smell from a restaurant might seduce you into going inside. In these examples, the idea is not simply "attract" but "attract so strongly that resistance becomes harder."
The word also has an older and more moral sense. In historical, religious, or literary writing, to seduce someone can mean leading them astray, especially into sexual behavior, betrayal, or other actions seen as wrong. Because of that history, the word often carries a suggestion of manipulation or danger, even when it is used in a lighter modern way.
So the word moves across several shades of meaning: sexual attraction, persuasive temptation, and sometimes moral corruption. What joins these meanings is the sense of pulling someone toward desire so effectively that their judgment, caution, or original intention starts to weaken.
Examples
- 1
Fiction
In the novel, the count tries to seduce a married woman.
- 2
Charm
She knew he was trying to seduce her with charm and attention.
- 3
Marketing
The company hopes to seduce young buyers with sleek design and low prices.
- 4
Bad decision
Don't let the short-term savings seduce you into signing a bad contract.
- Patternseduce someone into doing something
tempt them to do it
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Persuasive promises
I liked the plan, but I wasn't completely seduced by its promises.
- Patternbe seduced by something
be strongly attracted by it, sometimes too easily
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- seduceverb
Forms
- seducedpast tenseverb
- seducing-ing formverb
- seducesverb