Meaning & use
allure
Last updated
UK/əˈljʊə/
US/əˈlʊr/
Meanings
noununcountable
A strong and attractive quality that draws people in.
Grammar: Uncountable, often with of: the allure of the city.
Patterns
- the allure of something
The allure of the big city drew him in.
She has a mysterious allure.
The allure of easy money tempted them.
verbtransitiveformal
To attract or tempt someone strongly.
Grammar: Takes an object; often passive: be allured by something.
Patterns
- allure someone
- be allured by something
The bright lights allured the tourists.
He was allured by promises of fame.
Cheap prices allure shoppers.
Word forms
| third person singular | allures |
|---|---|
| past tense | allured |
| past participle | allured |
| -ing form | alluring |
Common combinations
- irresistible allure
- It has an irresistible allure.
- allure of
- The allure of adventure.
- lose its allure
- The job lost its allure.
- fatal allure
- The film shows the fatal allure of fame.
Synonyms and how they differ
- appeal
- Appeal is simpler and less mysterious.
- charm
- Charm is pleasing personality.
- temptation
- Temptation suggests something wrong.
- glamour
- Glamour means exciting attractiveness.
Opposites
repulsionrepellence
Word family
- alluring adjective
- very attractive
- allurement noun
- something that attracts
- alluringly adverb
- in a way that attracts
Commonly confused: allure or allude? allure or illusion?
allure vs allude
Allude means to refer to something indirectly.
allure vs illusion
Illusion is a false impression.
Practice
The allure of the island is its...
Choose one answer.
Allure means attractive power.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “allure”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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