attract Hear it!

attract Definition

at·tract (ə trakt′)

transitive verb

  1. to draw to itself or oneself; make approach or adhere magnets attract iron
  2. to get the admiration, attention, etc. of; allure his smile attracted her

Etymology: ME attracten < L attractus, pp. of attrahere, to draw to < ad-, to + trahere, draw

intransitive verb

to be attractive

attract Related Forms
at·tract′·able adjective at·tract′er noun or at·trac′·tor
attract Synonyms

attract

v.

  1. To draw

    pull, draw, drag, bring; see draw 1.

  2. To allure

    allure, charm, appeal to, interest, intrigue, lure, captivate, fascinate, enchant, invite, entice, draw, beguile, tempt, excite, strike one's fancy, catch one's eye, pique one's interest, turn one on*; see also fascinate.

attract implies the exertion of a force such as magnetism to draw a person or thing and connotes susceptibility in the thing drawn; allure implies attraction by that which seductively offers pleasure, delight, reward, etc.; charm suggests the literal or figurative casting of a spell and implies very pleasing qualities in the agent; fascinate and enchant both also suggest a magical power, fascinate stressing an irresistible holding of interest and enchant the evoking of great delight; captivate implies a capturing of the attention or affection, but suggests a light, passing influence

attract Usage Examples

Object

  • attention: You will probably want to flash the title bar more than once to attract attention.
  • visitor: The 8th century Offa's Dike attracts numerous visitors each year together with the remains of several Norman castles.
  • audience: Trailers use phrases like these in an attempt to attract back the audience of the aforementioned film.
  • crowd: Nationally renowned super club â Cream â attracts crowds of 4000 every Saturday night!
  • investment: Learn the tips for a winning business plan formula to attract the right investment for your business.
  • funding: FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES There are various avenues for schools to attract funding to assist with the provision of football within schools.

Subject

  • prospect: Motorbike enthusiasts will be attracted by the prospect of free test drives on the innovative new concept bike, the Carver One.

Preposition: over

  • delegate: The Festival annually attracts over 1900 delegates from all sectors and levels of the industry.
  • visitor: The site now attract over 22,000 visitors a day.
  • exhibitor: The APF Exhibition is the UK's largest forestry and woodland exhibition attracting over 230 exhibitors and 14000 visitors.
  • participant: The 2nd Encuentro was held this year in several parts of Spain during 10 days in July and August, attracting over 2500 participants.
  • competitor: The event has attracted over 250 competitors from 64 countries, which is claimed as a record for a single discipline event.
  • entry: Attracting over 100 entries, the briefs covered very topical subjects.

Preposition: around

  • visitor: A trust will now run the garden, which overlooks Milford Haven waterway and attracts around 10,000 visitors a year.

Adjective complement

  • more: Its public meetings rarely attract more than a few score people most of whom are DSM members in any case.

Modifying Another Word

  • inward: I favor business parks and cross-border tax-free zones as ways of attracting inward investors: they might entice companies here.
  • nearly: In its 23rd year, the event attracted nearly 100 entries.

Noun phrase with adjective complement

  • such: Its spread attracts nouns such as " plague " and " virus " , but some of the criticism is unjustified.

Preposition: by

  • prospect: Motorbike enthusiasts will be attracted by the prospect of free test drives on the innovative new concept bike, the Carver One.

Present participle complement

  • increase: Their use in security, which is attracting increasing interest, is less general and less of an accepted principle.