temptations
Hard-to-resist urges
Temptations are things that entice or attract, especially toward something unwise, forbidden, or pleasurable.
The word carries a moral undertone—temptations pull you toward choices you might later regret, whether that's a second slice of cake or a more serious transgression.
I resisted the temptation to check my phone during dinner.
The plural often emphasizes recurring allurements or a category of enticements: the temptations of city life, worldly temptations.
Powerful urge to have
- longingIntense, persistent desire
- yearningIntense prolonged craving
- lustIntense carnal appetite
- appetiteDesire for food
urge · covetousness · passion · wish · hankering · thirst · itch · wanting
Enticing someone romantically
- enticementSomething that attracts
- lureThing that tempts
- appealFormal review request
- charmAttractive personal quality
magnetism · fascination · attractiveness · glamour · captivation · enchantment · allurement · pull
Violation of divine law
- transgressionViolation of law or code
- guiltMoral self-reproach
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- immoralityQuality of being wicked
wickedness · vice · depravity · forbidden · taboo · repentance · fall from grace · devil
Mental strength resisting impulse
- self-controlAbility to restrain impulses
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
- restraintControl over impulses
- abstinenceVoluntary forgoing of indulgences
moderation · temperance · fortitude · resolve · determination · self-denial · endurance · strength
Happy, satisfied feeling
- luxuryExpensive nonessential comfort
- decadenceMoral decline through excess
- gratificationPleasure from satisfying desires
- hedonismPursuit of gratification
splurge · excess · treat · guilty pleasure · binge · overindulgence · self-gratification · vice
craving
Powerful urge to have
appetite · urge · covetousness · passion · wish · hankering · thirst · itch · wanting · pining
seduction
Enticing someone romantically
- enticementSomething that attracts
- lureThing that tempts
- appealFormal review request
charm · magnetism · fascination · attractiveness · glamour · captivation · enchantment · allurement · pull · draw
sin
Violation of divine law
- transgressionViolation of law or code
- guiltMoral self-reproach
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
immorality · wickedness · vice · depravity · forbidden · taboo · repentance · fall from grace · devil · serpent
willpower
Mental strength resisting impulse
- self-controlAbility to restrain impulses
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
- restraintControl over impulses
abstinence · moderation · temperance · fortitude · resolve · determination · self-denial · endurance · strength · steadfastness
pleasure
Happy, satisfied feeling
- luxuryExpensive nonessential comfort
- decadenceMoral decline through excess
- gratificationPleasure from satisfying desires
hedonism · splurge · excess · treat · guilty pleasure · binge · overindulgence · self-gratification · vice · sweets
- obstaclesbarriers, block, obstacles, barrier, blockers
- Spanish MysticismTeresa of Avila, John of the Cross, dark night of the soul, San Juan, dark night
- Swedenborgianismcorrespondences, glorification, memorabilia, New Jerusalem, spiritual world
- distractionsdistraction, digression, tangent, sidetrack, diversion
- come-onspickup lines, flirtation, advances, passes, overtures
- hagiographysaints' lives, hagiographer, hagiography, vita, vitae
temptationsrepulsions
Acts of driving away
aversions · turnoffs · revulsions · repellents · dislikes
temptationsdeterrents
Things discouraging certain actions
discouragements · dissuasions · disincentives · warnings · obstacles
- The Temptations
- temptation of ChristSatan's desert testing of Jesus
- temptation of JesusDevil's desert challenge
- Temptation IslandDating competition reality series