seduce
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to persuade someone to have a sexual relationship with you, usually by being very charming.
to entice or induce someone to engage in sexual activity through charm or persuasion.
Simple“In the movie, the spy tries to seduce the guard to get the keys.”
In context“The protagonist was portrayed as a character who could seduce anyone with a combination of wit and calculated vulnerability.”
UsageThis is a transitive verb and requires a direct object.
Teacher's tipWhile often sexual, it can also imply a general loss of judgment due to charm.
- 02 C1 Advanced
to attract someone so much that they do something they shouldn't, or something they didn't plan to do.
to lead someone away from duty, principles, or proper conduct by offering a tempting alternative.
Simple“The promise of a huge salary might seduce him into leaving his current job.”
In context“Many young investors were seduced by the prospect of quick riches, ignoring the significant risks involved in the venture.”
UsageOften used in the passive voice: 'to be seduced by something'.
Teacher's tipIn this context, the word suggests that the person is being tricked or blinded by a shiny reward.
“The Vampire Lestat has seduced fans around the world with his eye-popping antics.”
Borrowed from Latin sēdūcō (“to lead apart or astray”), from sē- (“aside, away, astray”) + dūcō (“to lead”); see duct. Compare adduce, conduce, deduce, etc. and Middle English seduct.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.