Tantalize
verb
To tease or torment someone by presenting something desirable but constantly keeping it out of reach.
The smell of fresh baked cookies tantalized him, but his sister would not let him have one before dinner.
Often appears as...
- tantalizing aroma
- tantalizing prospect
verb
To provoke interest or curiosity without satisfying it.
The trailer tantalized viewers with hints of the movie's plot without revealing too much.
Often appears as...
- tantalizing teaser
- tantalizing peek
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To tease or torment someone by presenting something desirable but constantly keeping it out of reach.
The smell of fresh baked cookies tantalized him, but his sister would not let him have one before dinner.
Often appears as...
- tantalizing aroma
- tantalizing prospect
verb
To provoke interest or curiosity without satisfying it.
The trailer tantalized viewers with hints of the movie's plot without revealing too much.
Often appears as...
- tantalizing teaser
- tantalizing peek
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Pull
Tantalize often involves an emotional reaction from the feeling of being teased.
The exclusive club's invite tantalized me to no end, making me feel left out.
Pro Tip 2/3Frustration Hint
Using 'tantalize' suggests a mix of desire and frustration because of the tease.
Being on a diet, the cheesecake display at the cafe tantalized her.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Negative
Though teasing, tantalize isn't always negative; it can excite and motivate.
The challenge of the puzzle tantalized him, spurring him on to solve it.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Pull
Tantalize often involves an emotional reaction from the feeling of being teased.
The exclusive club's invite tantalized me to no end, making me feel left out.
Pro Tip 2/3Frustration Hint
Using 'tantalize' suggests a mix of desire and frustration because of the tease.
Being on a diet, the cheesecake display at the cafe tantalized her.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Negative
Though teasing, tantalize isn't always negative; it can excite and motivate.
The challenge of the puzzle tantalized him, spurring him on to solve it.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Pull
Tantalize often involves an emotional reaction from the feeling of being teased.
The exclusive club's invite tantalized me to no end, making me feel left out.
Pro Tip 2/3Frustration Hint
Using 'tantalize' suggests a mix of desire and frustration because of the tease.
Being on a diet, the cheesecake display at the cafe tantalized her.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Negative
Though teasing, tantalize isn't always negative; it can excite and motivate.
The challenge of the puzzle tantalized him, spurring him on to solve it.
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Video examples
Your elusive creative...
know that comes into his head as inspiration often comes elusive and tantalizing and he wants it you know it's gorgeous and and he longs for it but he has no way to get it he doesn't have a piece of paper he doesn't have a pencil he doesn't have a tape recorder so he starts to feel all that old anxiety start to rise in him like I'm gonna lose this thing you know I'm gonna be haunted by this song forever and I'm
Video examples
Your elusive creative...
that comes into his head as inspiration often comes, elusive and tantalizing, and he wants it, it's gorgeous, and he longs for it, but he has no way to get it. He doesn't have a piece of paper, or a pencil, or a tape recorder. So he starts to feel all of that old anxiety start to rise in him like, "I'm going to lose this thing, and I'll be be haunted by this song forever.
Video examples
Grave Secrets of...
present to you this evening is some of the science which was actually the methodology should I say of science which was shown in the documentary it was quite clear during the documentary that we were deeply frustrated that much of the science that we were working towards was tantalizing at our
Video examples
This deep-sea mystery is...
no human has ever gotten a single one of these exotic deep subsurface microbes to grow in a petri dish. And it's not for lack of trying. That may sound disappointing, but I actually find it exhilarating, because it means there are so many tantalizing unknowns to work on.
Video examples
Inside the massive (and...
And of course, technology does offer the tantalizing promise of helping control a pandemic through contact tracing. But it also opens up another door, to privatized mass surveillance. So what do we do about this private spy bazaar? We can hide, go offline,
Video examples
James B. Glattfelder:...
yet it "gave us a tantalizing glimpse of a brave new world of finance." We hope to have opened the door for more such research in this direction, so the remaining unknown terrain will be charted in the future. And this is slowly starting.
Video examples
Would You Eat Bull...
high praise with his power to transform the taboo into the tantalizing chef Cho may win new converts to this ancient delicacy diners who may seek it out not just for its romantic and medicinal effects but also for its taste
Video examples
Bull Penis PIPE Rare Foods
high praise with his power to transform the taboo into the tantalizing chef Cho may win new converts to this ancient delicacy diners who may seek it out not just for romantic and medicinal effects but also for its taste
Video examples
Who controls the world?...
gave us a tantalizing glimpse of a brave new world of finance we hope to have opened the door for more such research in this direction so the remaining unknown terrain will be charted in
Video examples
5 Amazing Animal...
well and truly rumbled satisfied he's harmless the meerkats go back to what they enjoy best relaxing among friends our story begins with a tantalizing
Video examples
Your elusive creative...
know that comes into his head as inspiration often comes elusive and tantalizing and he wants it you know it's gorgeous and and he longs for it but he has no way to get it he doesn't have a piece of paper he doesn't have a pencil he doesn't have a tape recorder so he starts to feel all that old anxiety start to rise in him like I'm gonna lose this thing you know I'm gonna be haunted by this song forever and I'm
Video examples
Your elusive creative...
that comes into his head as inspiration often comes, elusive and tantalizing, and he wants it, it's gorgeous, and he longs for it, but he has no way to get it. He doesn't have a piece of paper, or a pencil, or a tape recorder. So he starts to feel all of that old anxiety start to rise in him like, "I'm going to lose this thing, and I'll be be haunted by this song forever.
Video examples
Grave Secrets of...
present to you this evening is some of the science which was actually the methodology should I say of science which was shown in the documentary it was quite clear during the documentary that we were deeply frustrated that much of the science that we were working towards was tantalizing at our
Video examples
This deep-sea mystery is...
no human has ever gotten a single one of these exotic deep subsurface microbes to grow in a petri dish. And it's not for lack of trying. That may sound disappointing, but I actually find it exhilarating, because it means there are so many tantalizing unknowns to work on.
Video examples
Inside the massive (and...
And of course, technology does offer the tantalizing promise of helping control a pandemic through contact tracing. But it also opens up another door, to privatized mass surveillance. So what do we do about this private spy bazaar? We can hide, go offline,
Video examples
James B. Glattfelder:...
yet it "gave us a tantalizing glimpse of a brave new world of finance." We hope to have opened the door for more such research in this direction, so the remaining unknown terrain will be charted in the future. And this is slowly starting.
Video examples
Would You Eat Bull...
high praise with his power to transform the taboo into the tantalizing chef Cho may win new converts to this ancient delicacy diners who may seek it out not just for its romantic and medicinal effects but also for its taste
Video examples
Bull Penis PIPE Rare Foods
high praise with his power to transform the taboo into the tantalizing chef Cho may win new converts to this ancient delicacy diners who may seek it out not just for romantic and medicinal effects but also for its taste
Video examples
Who controls the world?...
gave us a tantalizing glimpse of a brave new world of finance we hope to have opened the door for more such research in this direction so the remaining unknown terrain will be charted in
Video examples
5 Amazing Animal...
well and truly rumbled satisfied he's harmless the meerkats go back to what they enjoy best relaxing among friends our story begins with a tantalizing
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Seth Shostak
American Scientist
Despite tantalizing suggestions of fossilized microbes in meteorites, puzzling and possibly biogenic methane gas in the martian atmosphere, and a long-standing controversy over the Viking lander experiments of nearly 40 years ago, there's still no Exhibit A that points unequivocally to biology in our own back yard.
Quote examples
Michael K. Powell
American Politician
Giving consumers the choice of having it all in one big bite means different viewers are in many different places in the book, making it hard to discuss without spoiling the plot. The intervals between first-run programming provide a space for communion and that tantalizing sense of anticipation.
Quote examples
Anthony Browne
British Writer
Picture books are for everybody at any age, not books to be left behind as we grow older. The best ones leave a tantalising gap between the pictures and the words, a gap that is filled by the reader's imagination, adding so much to the excitement of reading a book.
Quote examples
Mariella Frostrup
British Journalist
For many young women, the dream of independence and a home of their own is a tantalising goal, while a lifetime devoted solely to catering for another person's needs would be hard to countenance.
Quote examples
William Shatner
Canadian Actor
The mysteriousness and mystique of space is such, that science fiction attempts to tantalize you by telling you a story that could possibly be out there and that's the appeal of science fiction.
Quote examples
Adrienne Mayor
American Historian
The tasks of paleontologists and classical historians and archaeologists are remarkably similar - to excavate, decipher and bring to life the tantalizing remnants of a time we will never see.
Quote examples
Vilayanur S. Ramachandran
Indian Scientist
Science is like a love affair with nature; an elusive, tantalising mistress. It has all the turbulence, twists and turns of romantic love, but that's part of the game.
Quote examples
Blake Lively
American Actress
My dad actually makes the best cookies. My mum is great baker, too, but doesn't share them - it's tantalising! Luckily for me though, my dad shares his!
Quote examples
Fred Savage
American Actor
Other acting opportunities had come along, but nothing that was tantalizing enough to me to step away from what I found most interesting.
Quote examples
Ricky Gervais
English Writer
I find comedy easy, and I find drama exciting and tantalising.
Quote examples
Seth Shostak
American Scientist
Despite tantalizing suggestions of fossilized microbes in meteorites, puzzling and possibly biogenic methane gas in the martian atmosphere, and a long-standing controversy over the Viking lander experiments of nearly 40 years ago, there's still no Exhibit A that points unequivocally to biology in our own back yard.
Quote examples
Michael K. Powell
American Politician
Giving consumers the choice of having it all in one big bite means different viewers are in many different places in the book, making it hard to discuss without spoiling the plot. The intervals between first-run programming provide a space for communion and that tantalizing sense of anticipation.
Quote examples
Anthony Browne
British Writer
Picture books are for everybody at any age, not books to be left behind as we grow older. The best ones leave a tantalising gap between the pictures and the words, a gap that is filled by the reader's imagination, adding so much to the excitement of reading a book.
Quote examples
Mariella Frostrup
British Journalist
For many young women, the dream of independence and a home of their own is a tantalising goal, while a lifetime devoted solely to catering for another person's needs would be hard to countenance.
Quote examples
William Shatner
Canadian Actor
The mysteriousness and mystique of space is such, that science fiction attempts to tantalize you by telling you a story that could possibly be out there and that's the appeal of science fiction.
Quote examples
Adrienne Mayor
American Historian
The tasks of paleontologists and classical historians and archaeologists are remarkably similar - to excavate, decipher and bring to life the tantalizing remnants of a time we will never see.
Quote examples
Vilayanur S. Ramachandran
Indian Scientist
Science is like a love affair with nature; an elusive, tantalising mistress. It has all the turbulence, twists and turns of romantic love, but that's part of the game.
Quote examples
Blake Lively
American Actress
My dad actually makes the best cookies. My mum is great baker, too, but doesn't share them - it's tantalising! Luckily for me though, my dad shares his!
Quote examples
Fred Savage
American Actor
Other acting opportunities had come along, but nothing that was tantalizing enough to me to step away from what I found most interesting.
Quote examples
Ricky Gervais
English Writer
I find comedy easy, and I find drama exciting and tantalising.
Example 1 of 10
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