tantalizing

tantalizing — adjective

1. describing something that makes you feel a strong desire for it, while also maki

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing something that makes you feel a strong desire for it, while also making you believe you will not be able to get it or enjoy it completely

Example

Fresh bread from the bakery smelled tantalizing to Eleni as she walked past.

tantalizing + smell of fresh bread

A tantalizing job offer in Tokyo tempted Camila, but family kept her from accepting it.

tantalizing + offer as something desired but unreachable

Common collocations
  • tantalizing smell
  • tantalizing glimpse
  • tantalizing offer
  • tantalizing possibility
  • tantalizing clue
  • tantalizing hint
  • tantalizing prospect
Synonyms
  • tempting

    more general; does not necessarily imply the thing is out of reach

  • enticing

    suggests something is deliberately drawing you in, often with a persuasive quality

  • alluring

    emphasises mysterious or visual charm, less about frustration

  • teasing

    more informal and playful; suggests something is dangled just out of reach lightheartedly

Antonyms
  • unappealing

    does not create any desire at all

  • repulsive

    creates a strong negative reaction rather than desire

Usage Note

Subject is typically a thing (smell, view, offer, clue) or a situation, not a person. The person experiencing the desire is usually mentioned separately: '[Thing] was tantalizing to [person].' To describe the person's feeling, use tantalized instead.

Common Mistakes

I feel tantalizing about the job offer.
The job offer was tantalizing.
tantalizing describes the thing that causes desire, not the person's feeling.
The movie was very tantalizing, so I went to see it.
The movie trailer was tantalizing, but the film was never released in my country.
tantalizing implies the desire was not or may not be satisfied.

Word family

  • tantalize
    verbB2
  • tantalizingly
    adverbC1
  • tantalized
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Tempting is the most general and common of these words — anything that makes you want it is tempting, from a cookie to a vacation, and satisfaction is often possible. Enticing suggests something is deliberately drawing you in, often with an element of attraction or persuasion. Alluring emphasises mysterious or magnetic charm, particularly in visual or romantic contexts. Teasing is more playful and informal, implying that something is being dangled just out of reach in a lighthearted way. Tantalizing is the strongest in expressing frustration — the desire is real and strong, but the thing is unlikely to be obtained. A tempting offer might be one you could actually take; a tantalizing offer is one you desperately want but probably cannot accept.

temptingenticingalluringteasing

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • tantalizing to [someone]

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

From the Greek myth of Tantalus, a king who was punished by the gods. He was made to stand in a pool of water under a fruit tree, but whenever he reached for fruit or tried to drink, both moved out of his reach. His name became the root of the verb tantalize, meaning to tease someone by showing them something they desperately want but keeping it just out of reach. The adjective tantalizing came later, describing anything that creates this feeling of frustrated desire.