Word meaning
tantalize
verb · TAN-tuh-lize
What does tantalize mean?
Tantalize means to torment or tease with the sight or promise of something unobtainable.
Tantalize in a sentence
“The smell of fresh bread tantalized us as we waited in line.”
Synonyms for tantalize
- tease
- tempt
- entice
Where does tantalize come from?
From Tantalus, a figure in Greek myth doomed to stand beneath fruit and water that always moved out of reach.
How to remember tantalize
- Say it out loud a few times: TAN-tuh-lize.
- Write one sentence of your own using tantalize, about something that happened to you today.
- Quiz yourself tomorrow, in three days, and next week. Spaced reviews are what make new words stick.
More words worth knowing
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- ambiguous — open to more than one interpretation; unclear.
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- brevity — concise and exact use of words; shortness of time.