attract

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈtɹækt/ See IPA manual

Freq #6203

Meanings

1

verb
To make someone interested in or want to come to something.

Usage: In this sense, attract means draw someone's interest or attention. An event can attract visitors, and a feature can attract attention.

The new dinosaur exhibit is expected to attract families throughout the summer.

The festival attracts thousands of visitors every year.
2

verb
To make someone feel romantic or sexual interest.

I think she's attracted to her new colleague.
3

verb
To pull an object closer by a physical force.

A magnet attracts iron filings.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to make someone interested... drawpull in

2 verb · to make someone feel... appeal

More allure

Opposites

chase repel

Word family

Forms attractedattractingattracts

Derived forms attractabilityattractableattractancyattracteeattracticideattractileattractinattractinglychemoattractcounterattractnonattractingreattract

Related forms attraction attractive attractor

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Proverbs (1)

See all

Opposites attract

Simplified etymology

Attract dates from late Middle English and contains Latin ad- “to” and trahere “draw off.”

Etymology

From Latin attractus, a form of attrahere, to draw toward, combining ad- with trahere, to pull or draw.

trahere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# attract

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈtɹækt/
**Frequency rank:** 6203

## Meanings
1. To make someone interested in or want to come to something.
2. To make someone feel romantic or sexual interest.
3. To pull an object closer by a physical force.

## Usage Notes
- To make someone interested in or want to come to something.: In this sense, attract means draw someone's interest or attention. An event can attract visitors, and a feature can attract attention.

## Examples
- The new dinosaur exhibit is expected to attract families throughout the summer.
- The festival attracts thousands of visitors every year.
- I think she's attracted to her new colleague.
- A magnet attracts iron filings.

## Synonyms
- allure
- draw

## Antonyms
- chase
- repel

## Derived Forms
- attractability
- attractable
- attractancy
- attractee
- attracticide
- attractile
- attractin
- attractingly
- chemoattract
- counterattract
- nonattracting
- reattract

## Related Forms
- attraction
- attractive
- attractor

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: trahere - to pull

## Etymology
From Latin attractus, a form of attrahere, to draw toward, combining ad- with trahere, to pull or draw.

## AI Etymology
Attract is from Latin attractus, past participle of attrahere (“to draw to, attract”), from ad (“to”) plus trahere (“to draw”). The formation is semantically transparent: the parts remain visible, while the compound or affix fixes the grammatical role and narrows the modern meaning. In use as a verb, attract denotes to make someone interested in or want to come to something, to make someone feel romantic or sexual interest, and to pull an object closer by a physical force. The same word family continues in derived forms such as attractability, attractable, attractancy, and attractee and related entries such as attraction, attractive, and attractor.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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