beguile
Win over deceptively
Beguile means to charm or enchant someone, often in a way that distracts them from something else or leads them astray.
The word carries a hint of deception or trickery—a beguiling smile might be captivating but also manipulative.
She beguiled him with promises of wealth.
In a softer sense, beguile can simply mean to pleasantly occupy or pass the time: We beguiled the afternoon with card games.
Something beguiling is both attractive and slightly suspect.
Persuade through flattery
- wheedlePersuade through flattery
- coaxPersuade by gentle urging
- persuadeCause to believe
- lureThing that tempts
tempt · seduce · tantalize · flatter · blandish · soft-soap · induce · sweet-talk
Deliberate deception for effect
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- dupeDeceive or victim
hoodwink · bamboozle · subterfuge · sham · imposture · dupery · dissemble · chicanery
Intensely attract and hold
- engrossAbsorb one's attention wholly
- mesmerizeCapture attention completely
- enthralCapture someone's complete attention
- absorbTake in fully
rivet · transfix · grip · intrigue · spellbind · arrest · enrapture · bewitch
Cause light enjoyment
- distractDivert someone's attention
- entertainAmuse or host
- occupyFill or dwell in
- diversionRedirection of attention
pastime · while away · pleasure · enjoyment · recreation · lighten · enliven
Attractive, tempting quality
- charismaMagnetic personal appeal
- magnetismForce between poles
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
- eleganceRefined, graceful quality
appeal · wit · sophistication · sparkle · glamour · suavity · affability · geniality
Convey false details
- disinformSpread false information deliberately
- deludeLead into false belief
- misguideLead in wrong direction
- misdirectLead away from truth
lead astray · obfuscate · prevaricate · distort · manipulate · confuse · bluff · feint
cajole
Persuade through flattery
lure · tempt · seduce · tantalize · flatter · blandish · soft-soap · induce · sweet-talk · inveigle
hoax
Deliberate deception for effect
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- swindleDeception for financial gain
dupe · hoodwink · bamboozle · subterfuge · sham · imposture · dupery · dissemble · chicanery · artifice
fascinate
Intensely attract and hold
- engrossAbsorb one's attention wholly
- mesmerizeCapture attention completely
- enthralCapture someone's complete attention
absorb · rivet · transfix · grip · intrigue · spellbind · arrest · enrapture · bewitch · enthrall
amuse
Cause light enjoyment
diversion · pastime · while away · pleasure · enjoyment · recreation · lighten · enliven
allure
Attractive, tempting quality
elegance · appeal · wit · sophistication · sparkle · glamour · suavity · affability · geniality · pleasantness
misinform
Convey false details
- disinformSpread false information deliberately
- deludeLead into false belief
- misguideLead in wrong direction
misdirect · lead astray · obfuscate · prevaricate · distort · manipulate · confuse · bluff · feint · fabricate
- allureattraction, attract, magnetism, charisma, attractiveness
- fancy wordsgrandiloquent, magniloquent, sesquipedalian, pulchritudinous, tintinnabulation
- flatteryflatter, praise, flattery, compliment, compliments
- archaic verbsdost, doth, hast, hath, shalt
- digressionsdigression, tangent, aside, sidetrack, detour
beguileundeceive
Correct a false belief
disillusion · enlighten · disenchant · debunk · reveal
beguiling, beguiled, beguiler, beguilement, beguilers, beguiles, beguilingly