Meaning & use
intrigue
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To make someone very curious or interested, usually because something is unusual or mysterious.
Grammar: Takes an object: the story intrigued me; often passive: I was intrigued by the story.
Patterns
- intrigue someone
- be intrigued by something
The strange old map intrigued the children.
His unusual accent intrigued her.
We were intrigued by the idea of a floating market.
nouncountable or uncountable
Secret planning and scheming, often to gain power or advantage.
Grammar: Pronounced with the stress on the first syllable: INtrigue; often political intrigue.
Patterns
- political intrigue
- an intrigue against someone
The royal court was full of intrigue.
The novel mixes romance and political intrigue.
She was drawn into an intrigue against the director.
noununcountable
A quality of being interesting and mysterious.
Grammar: Used for appeal: the intrigue of a locked door.
Patterns
- the intrigue of something
- an air of intrigue
The intrigue of the abandoned house drew them closer.
The story has a certain intrigue.
An air of intrigue surrounded the new neighbor.
verbintransitiveold-fashioned
To plot or scheme in secret.
Grammar: Old-fashioned; often followed by against or with.
Patterns
- intrigue against someone
- intrigue with someone
Courtiers intrigued against the minister.
The two rivals intrigued behind closed doors.
He intrigued with foreign agents.
Word forms
| third person singular | intrigues |
|---|---|
| past tense | intrigued |
| past participle | intrigued |
| -ing form | intriguing |
Common combinations
- intrigue someone
- The puzzle intrigued everyone at the party.
- political intrigue
- The film is a tale of political intrigue.
- court intrigue
- Court intrigue shaped the king's decisions.
- be intrigued by
- She was intrigued by his unusual hobby.
- air of intrigue
- An air of intrigue hung around the visitor.
- palace intrigue
- Palace intrigue filled the chapter.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fascinate
- Fascinate suggests a stronger pull on attention, while intrigue suggests curiosity.
- interest
- Interest is plain and general, whereas intrigue implies something puzzling.
- captivate
- Captivate means to charm and hold completely, which goes beyond curiosity.
- plot
- Plot is the plain word for secret planning, and is less tied to courts and politics.
Opposites
Word family
- intriguing adjective
- arousing curiosity
- intrigued adjective
- made curious
- intriguingly adverb
- in a way that arouses curiosity
- intriguer noun
- a person who schemes secretly
Commonly confused: intrigue or entrigue? intrigue or interest?
intrigue vs entrigue
Entrigue is a misspelling; the correct spelling begins with in-.
intrigue vs interest
Interest is general, while intrigue suggests that something puzzling or mysterious draws you in.
Practice
Which sentence uses intrigue as a verb?
Choose one answer.
Only the first sentence uses intrigued as a verb meaning to arouse curiosity. The others use intrigue as a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “intrigue”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.