2 syllables: En, tice. Stress on tice.
in-TEYES
/ɪˈntaɪs/
Entice is pronounced in-TEYES (/ɪˈntaɪs/). It has two syllables (En-tice), with the stress on "tice". Entice is a verb meaning to attract or lure someone by appealing to their desires or curiosity, often with a promise or suggestion. It implies charm or temptation used to draw someone toward a goal, object, or action. The word conveys persuasion that appeals to emotion rather than reason, sometimes with a hint of deceit or risk of over-promise.
verbEntice is a verb meaning to attract or lure someone by appealing to their desires or curiosity, often with a promise or suggestion. It implies charm or temptation used to draw someone toward a goal, object, or action. The word conveys persuasion that appeals to emotion rather than reason, sometimes with a hint of deceit or risk of over-promise.
"The merchant tried to entice customers with a limited-time offer."
"The scent of fresh bread enticed people into the bakery."
"The glamorous advertisement enticed viewers to buy the car."
Pronunciation: en-TICE. IPA: US /ɪnˈtaɪs/, UK /ɪnˈtaɪs/, AU /ɪnˈtaɪs/. The main stress is on the second syllable. Start with a short “i” as in “pin,” then a clear /taɪ/ diphthong like “tie,” and finish with a voiceless /s/. Make sure the /t/ is crisp and not softened; the final /s/ should be unvoiced. You’ll want to avoid a heavy first syllable; keep it quick and light so the emphasis lands on the second syllable.”
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (saying en-TICE with stress on the first syllable) and replacing the /aɪ/ diphthong with a pure /i/ or /e/. Some speakers also voice the final /s/ as /z/ or drop the final sound in rapid speech. To correct: keep the stress on the second syllable, produce the /aɪ/ as a clear diphthong starting with /a/ and gliding to /ɪ/ or /i/, and end with a crisp unvoiced /s/ or an aspirated /s/ when emphasized in careful speech.”
Across US, UK, and AU, the core /ɪnˈtaɪs/ remains, but vowel color shifts slightly. US tends toward a flatter /æ/ or /ɪ/ in rapid speech, with a less rounded /aɪ/. UK RP may maintain a crisper /aɪ/ and a shorter /ɪ/ in unstressed syllables. Australian often features a slight centralization of vowels and a more relaxed r-less or rhotic presentation depending on speaker. Overall, the nucleus /aɪ/ and the coda /s/ stay stable; listeners will notice mild vowel shifts rather than different phoneme inventories.”
The difficulty comes from the /aɪ/ diphthong in the stressed second syllable and the quick transition from /n/ to /t/ to /aɪ/. Many learners over- or under-aspirate the /t/ and struggle with the precise tongue position for the diphthong, which glides from a lax /æ/ or /ɑ/ toward /ɪ/ or /i/. Additionally, keeping the final /s/ unvoiced in rapid speech can be tricky because it often blends with surrounding consonants.”
Is the /t/ in Entice best described as an alveolar stop with a brief release shared by the following diphthong, or should you produce it as a dental-alveolar blend to ease transition into /aɪ/? The safest core guidance is to evenly release the /t/ as a crisp alveolar stop, then immediately begin the /aɪ/ glide, ensuring the transition is smooth and produces a clean /ɪ/ ending before the /s/. This minimizes flapping or blending with other sounds and preserves the word’s characteristic clarity.
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Entice comes from the Latin verb enticingus, rooted in the stem enticere, which is a compound of en- (in, into) and tacere (to touch, touching, or perhaps to lure through touch). The English form entered Middle English via Old French entice, ultimately deriving from Latin words associated with touching or captivating, evolving through usage in medieval romance and commerce to mean drawing someone toward a desired outcome. The modern sense of alluring through appeal or temptation crystallized in early modern English, with examples appearing in 16th–17th century texts. The word carries an implication of motion toward an attractive target, often with an element of persuasion or seduction, rather than mere attraction. Over time, entice has retained its core sense of drawing someone in, though it is frequently paired with consumer or behavioral psychology contexts in contemporary usage. First known uses appear in legal and literary documents as “entoice” and later as “entice,” reflecting the broader shift from physical attraction to figurative allure in the 17th and 18th centuries. In modern usage, entice is common in advertising, persuasion, and social contexts where motivation is triggered by appeal, curiosity, or promise.
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Words that rhyme with "Entice"
-ice sounds
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