attract

verb

at·​tract ə-ˈtrakt How to pronounce attract (audio)
attracted; attracting; attracts
Synonyms of attractnext

transitive verb

: to cause to approach or adhere: such as
a
: to pull to or draw toward oneself or itself
A magnet attracts iron.
b
: to draw by appeal to natural or excited interest, emotion, or aesthetic sense : entice
attract attention
The museum attracts visitors.

intransitive verb

: to exercise attraction
Opposites attract.
attractor
ə-ˈtrak-tər How to pronounce attract (audio)
noun
Choose the Right Synonym for attract

attract, allure, charm, captivate, fascinate, enchant mean to draw another by exerting a powerful influence.

attract applies to any degree or kind of ability to exert influence over another.

students attracted by the school's locale

allure implies an enticing by what is fair, pleasing, or seductive.

an alluring smile

charm implies the power of casting a spell over the person or thing affected and so compelling a response

charmed by their hospitality

, but it may, like captivate, suggest no more than evoking delight or admiration.

her performances captivated audiences

fascinate suggests a magical influence and tends to stress the ineffectiveness of attempts to resist.

a story that continues to fascinate children

enchant is perhaps the strongest of these terms in stressing the appeal of the agent and the degree of delight evoked in the subject.

hopelessly enchanted by her beauty

Examples of attract in a Sentence

The company has a difficult time attracting good employees because of its poor pay and benefits. The chance to travel around the world attracted me to a career as a flight attendant. The museum attracts visitors from all over the world. The scent will attract certain insects. Certain insects are attracted by the scent. Her bright blue eyes attracted me. The bird's colorful feathers are used to attract a mate.
Recent Examples on the Web The loud buzzing or clicking sounds produced by male cicadas attract females and establish territories, according to Arizona State University. —The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024 Beyoncé’s 105-minute set attracted a record 458,000 simultaneous global viewers on YouTube in 2018. —Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024 Pretty much everyone came to the same conclusion: this lotion attracts wolf spiders. —Popsci Staff, Popular Science, 10 Apr. 2024 This Asian hornet station in the Associated British Port of Plymouth attracts the hornets, IDs them with its AI cameras, and alerts local authorities. —Frankie Adkins, WIRED, 10 Apr. 2024 The mosque, close to the Detroit-Dearborn border, attracted a diverse crowd of worshippers, many dressed up in suits, dresses, traditional Muslim robes and Palestinian scarves. —Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 10 Apr. 2024 Ruscha’s sardonic reflections have been attracting admirers to his work for nearly seven decades. —Michael Slenske, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024 The final auction of a lunch with Buffett two years ago attracted a record $19 million price that isn’t likely to be matched. —Josh Funk, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2024 The sleek but youthful aesthetic is one of the most striking in Denver, and thus, the property typically attracts young professionals who want all the perks of a global hospitality chain plus the cool factor that Thompson provides with its buzzing bars and restaurants. —Chadner Navarro, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'attract.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin attractus, past participle of attrahere, from ad- + trahere to pull, draw

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of attract was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing attract

Dictionary Entries Near attract

attour

attract

attractable

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Attract.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attract. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

attract

verb
at·​tract ə-ˈtrakt How to pronounce attract (audio)
1
: to pull to or toward oneself or itself
a magnet attracts iron
2
: to draw by appealing to interest or feeling
attract attention
Etymology

Middle English attracten "attract, cause to adhere," derived from Latin attrahere, literally "to draw near," from at-, ad- "to, toward" and trahere "to draw" — related to abstract, trace entry 1, trace entry 3

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