attract
/əˈtrakt
/verb [with object]
1Cause to come to a place or participate in a venture by offering something of interest or advantage: a campaign to attract more visitors to Shetland he hoped this strategy would attract foreign investment by multinationals...
- And Britain continues to lead its Continental rivals in attracting foreign investment.
- The Lake District attracts thousands of foreign visitors each year.
- Ireland's success in attracting foreign investment is largely because of its low corporation tax rates.
1.1Evoke (a specified reaction): I did not want to attract attention his criticism of the government attracted widespread support...
- The blunt message attracted a mixed reaction.
- Each year the exhibition attracts widespread media attention.
- The police report has attracted widespread media attention in Texas over the last couple of days.
1.2Cause (someone) to have a liking for or interest in something: I was attracted to the idea of working for a ballet company...
- Possibly this explains why so many young people are attracted to these kinds of movements.
- People are attracted to the simplicity and intimacy; they know what to expect and are not disappointed.
- She is clearly not part of the system and people are attracted to her vulnerability.
Synonyms
entice, allure, lure, tempt, charm, win over, woo, engage, enchant, entrance, mesmerize, hypnotize, spellbind, captivate, beguile, bewitch, seduce, dazzle, tantalize, inveigle, lead on;
interest, fascinate, enthral, absorb, rivet;
excite, titillate, arouse, stimulate
informal tickle someone's fancy, turn on, light someone's fire, float someone's boat, make someone's mouth water
1.3 (be attracted to) Have a sexual or romantic interest in: despite all her denials, she was still violently attracted to him...
- Someone may be attracted to you and express interest in furthering your relationship.
- And frankly, it makes me wonder why you were attracted to GD in the first place.
- He is attracted to Lena's beauty and charms.
1.4Exert a force on (an object) which is directed towards the source of the force: the negatively charged ions attract particles of dust...
- The strong force also attracts protons to protons or neutrons to neutrons.
- This is consistent with the fact that matter attracts matter through the gravitational force.
- The two ions of opposite charge attract each other and an ionic bond is formed.
Synonyms
draw, pull, magnetize
Derivatives
attractable
attractor
- The heat island of Tokyo has been one of the leading attractors of crows migrating to the city.
- It has been lying quietly, exuding some form of almost chemical attractor for a few days.
- The stable points act as attractors, and correspondingly unstable points as repellers.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin attract- 'drawn near', from the verb attrahere, from ad- 'to' + trahere 'draw'.
abstract from Middle English:
The Latin source of abstract, meant literally ‘drawn away’ and is from abstrahere, from the elements ab- ‘from’ and trahere ‘draw off’. The use in art dates from the mid 19th century. Trahere is found in many English words including: attract (Late Middle English) with ad ‘to’; portrait (mid 16th century), something drawn; protract (mid 16th century) with pro ‘out’; retract (Late Middle English) and retreat (Late Middle English) both drawing back; and words listed at train.