tempt
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to make you want to have or do something, especially something that is not good for you.
to entice or allure someone into a course of action that is often transgressive or unwise.
Simple“The smell of fresh bread tempted me to go into the bakery even though I wasn't hungry.”
In context“The high salary tempted him to accept the position, despite his reservations about the company's ethical record.”
UsageOften used in the passive voice: 'to be tempted to do something'.
PitfallI was tempted for buying the car. I was tempted to buy the car.The verb 'tempt' is followed by a 'to' infinitive, not 'for' + gerund.
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
to do something that might cause a bad result; to take a big risk.
to provoke or court a negative outcome by acting provocatively or recklessly.
Simple“Driving so fast on these icy roads is really tempting fate.”
In context“By refusing to upgrade their security systems, the firm is tempting providence and risking a major data breach.”
UsageCommonly found in the fixed idiom 'tempt fate' or 'tempt providence'.
Teacher's tipThis sense is almost exclusively used with 'fate' or 'providence' to describe unnecessary risk-taking.
From Middle English tempten, from Old French tempter (French: tenter), from Latin temptare, from tentare (“to handle, touch, try, test, tempt”), frequentative of tendere (“to stretch”). Displaced native English costning (“temptation”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.