inviting
/in'vaitiɳ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Appealing and tempting; attractive in a way that encourages one to participate, enter, or approach: Describes something that looks pleasant, welcoming, or enticing, making one want to accept an offer, go to a place, or engage in an activity.
Usage
- The word "inviting" is used to describe things, places, situations, or offers that seem pleasant and attractive, creating a desire to be involved or to come closer.
- It often describes sensory experiences (e.g., how something looks, smells, or feels) or abstract opportunities.
- It is typically used before a noun (attributive position) or after a linking verb like "look," "seem," or "appear" (predicative position).
Examples
Before a noun (Attributive):
- The bakery had an inviting aroma of fresh bread.
- She made an inviting offer to join her new company.
- They walked towards the inviting glow of the cottage window.
After a linking verb (Predicative):
- The warm fire looked very inviting on a cold night.
- The job opportunity sounds inviting, but I need more details.
- The clear blue water of the lagoon seemed incredibly inviting.
Advanced Usage
- "Invitingly" (Adverb): In a tempting or alluring manner.
- The cake was displayed invitingly in the shop window.
- "Uninviting" (Adjective): The opposite; not attractive or welcoming.
- The dark, muddy path looked uninviting.
Variants and Related Words
- Invite (Verb): To ask someone politely or formally to come somewhere or to do something.
- I would like to invite you to dinner.
- Invitation (Noun): A spoken or written request to attend an event or to do something.
- We received a wedding invitation.
Synonyms
- Alluring: Powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating.
- Tempting: Appealing to or attracting someone, even if it is wrong or unwise.
- Appealing: Attractive or interesting.
- Welcoming: Behaving in a friendly way to someone arriving; having an inviting atmosphere.
Antonyms
- Uninviting: Not attractive; repellent.
- Repellent: Causing disgust or distaste; unattractive.
- Forbidding: Unfriendly or threatening in appearance.
Idioms and Phrases
- An open invitation: A situation or action that makes something, especially something bad, very likely to happen.
- Leaving your car unlocked is an open invitation to thieves.
- Invite trouble/comparison, etc.: To act in a way that makes something undesirable likely to happen.
- Wearing such expensive jewelry in this area is just inviting trouble.
Adjective
- attractive and tempting
- an inviting offer