student asking question

What's the difference between “tempt” and “seduce”?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Tempt and seduce are very similar in meaning, however to seduce someone has a much stronger meaning. "Tempt" means to persuade or convince someone to do something that is wrong, usually with the promise of some sort of pleasure or gain. Ex: Do not tempt me to get off my diet. Ex: He tried to tempt me to give him the answers to the test for $20. "Seduce" also means to persuade or lure someone to do something that is wrong, usually benefiting the other person. It also means to persuade someone into a sexual relationship. Ex: The teenagers were seduced by the ads on television to smoke cigarettes.

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