# tempt

/ˈtɛmpt/ (US) · /tˈɛmpt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tempt
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to entice or allure

verb · CEFR B2

to make you want to have or do something, especially something that is not good for you.

For teachers: to entice or allure someone into a course of action that is often transgressive or unwise.

- The smell of fresh bread tempted me to go into the bakery even though I wasn't hungry.
- The high salary tempted him to accept the position, despite his reservations about the company's ethical record.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice: 'to be tempted to do something'.

### 2. to risk something

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to do something that might cause a bad result; to take a big risk.

For teachers: to provoke or court a negative outcome by acting provocatively or recklessly.

- Driving so fast on these icy roads is really tempting fate.
- By refusing to upgrade their security systems, the firm is tempting providence and risking a major data breach.

Usage: Commonly found in the fixed idiom 'tempt fate' or 'tempt providence'.

Teaching tip: This sense is almost exclusively used with 'fate' or 'providence' to describe unnecessary risk-taking.

## Examples

- The smell of fresh bread might tempt you to buy some.
- The high salary offered by the competitor began to tempt her away from her current position.
- While the short-term profits might tempt the board to sell the subsidiary, such a move could compromise the company's long-term strategic integrity in the European market.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.