tantalize

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "tantalize" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is a verb which means to tease or torment someone by offering something desirable but keeping it out of reach. Example Sentence: The delicious desserts tantalized us with their aroma.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

At a rain-delayed ceremony at Cooperstown's Doubleday Field, a small crowd… Maurice Sendak used to tantalize interviewers with the story of his first unpublished book.

The New Yorker

But her finest pictures — the semi-abstract desert landscapes; the poetic rubble of wartime London; the graphs of desolation from the battlefront; the sculptural female torsos, which were considered shockingly "phallic" — tantalize you, as they tantalized those who championed her career, with the promise of what she might have achieved.

The New Yorker

The viewer would occasionally be brought back to certain rooms, and these repeated clips would last just long enough to tantalize the viewer: "Wait, haven't I seen this one?" Then the door would open onto, as Marclay put it, "a different world from what you had expected".

The New Yorker

The 2013 crop comprises an unplanned, if not accidental, collective declaration of the essence of the cinema, an art of images and sounds that, at their best, don't exist to tell a story or to tantalize the audience (though they may well do so) but, rather, to reflect a crisis in the life of the filmmaker and the state of the artist's mind or, even, soul.

The New Yorker

But to actively woo the eye and tantalize the mind implies the possible existence of resistant viewers.

The New Yorker

Recently, in a move that will tantalize her fans, she released "Director's Cut," an album that reworks material from her 1989 record, "The Sensual World," and from "The Red Shoes" (1993).

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

6 human-written examples

The possibility of American arms deliveries still tantalizes some Ukrainians who expect the war to continue.

The Economist

Observers were repeatedly tantalized with what they thought was a glimpse of the interior, only to find that they had been shown another facet of the surface.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Most important of all, he developed the initial plan of the colossal city of Angkor, whose mysterious ruins, lost in dense jungle until very recently, have tantalized Western travelers for centuries.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He tantalizes the boy by looking away for a space and looking back.

The New Yorker

They train and train and train, tantalized by the sight of towering peaks and big lines.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tantalize" when you want to convey the act of teasing someone with something desirable but ultimately withholding it. It's often used in contexts involving delayed gratification or unfulfilled desires.

Common error

Avoid using "tantalize" when the intention is to describe causing severe pain or suffering. "Tantalize" implies a playful or teasing withholding, whereas "torment" suggests a more malicious infliction of distress.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "tantalize" is as a transitive verb. It requires a direct object to complete its meaning, indicating who or what is being teased or tormented. Ludwig confirms this usage through numerous examples of "tantalize" followed by a noun or pronoun.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

92%

Encyclopedias

4%

Science

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tantalize" is a grammatically correct and very common transitive verb used to describe the act of teasing or enticing someone with something desirable. According to Ludwig, it is primarily found in News & Media contexts and its use suggests a neutral formality level. The most frequent and authoritative sources using it include "The New Yorker", "The New York Times", and "The Economist". Be careful to avoid confusing it with "torment", which implies a more severe infliction of pain. Remember to use "tantalize with" rather than "tantalize by". Using "tantalize" effectively involves understanding its subtle nuances and choosing it when you want to convey the sense of playful or deliberate teasing with a desired object or outcome.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tease

A general term for playfully mocking or annoying someone.

entice

Suggests a more persuasive or alluring quality.

tempt

Suggests enticing someone to do something unwise.

allure

Focuses on the attractive and seductive aspects.

lure

Similar to bait, but with a less negative connotation.

bait

Suggests a deliberate attempt to trap or lure someone.

torment

Implies a higher degree of suffering or distress than "tantalize".

seduce

Suggests a strong attraction and persuasion, often sexually.

provoke

Implies inciting a reaction, often negative.

entrap

Emphasizes the act of catching someone, often deceptively.

FAQs

How can I use "tantalize" in a sentence?

You can use "tantalize" to describe teasing someone with something desirable. For example, "The aroma of freshly baked bread tantalized my senses."

What is a good alternative to "tantalize"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "tease", "entice", or "tempt".

Is it correct to say "tantalize with" or "tantalize by"?

"Tantalize with" is generally the more common and accepted phrasing, though "tantalize by" isn't necessarily incorrect, it's less frequently used.

What's the difference between "tantalize" and "torment"?

"Tantalize" implies a playful teasing, offering something desirable but withholding it. "Torment", on the other hand, suggests causing severe pain or suffering, either physically or mentally.