beguiling
gb/bɪɡˈaɪlɪŋ/ us/bɪɡˈaɪlɪŋ/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
literary
C1
property
1
charmingly attractive and captivating
pleasantly charming and interesting.
Usage pattern:
[a beguiling + smile/voice/story/place]
Common mistake:
Not related to the verb beg (ask for money); beguiling means charming or (sometimes) misleading.
Synonyms
enchanting (Stronger and more magical in tone.)
|
captivating (Emphasizes holding attention intensely.)
|
charming (More common and less literary.)
Antonyms
unappealing (Lacking attractiveness or charm.)
|
repellent (Actively unpleasant or off-putting.)
Collocations
a beguiling smile
|a beguiling voice
|beguiling eyes
|a beguiling manner
|beguiling charm
|beguiling beauty
|a beguiling story
|a beguiling melody
|a beguiling landscape
|a beguiling performance
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|arts
Examples
- She gave him a beguiling smile that made it hard to say no.
- The novel has a beguiling voice that draws you in from the first page.
- They spent the afternoon walking through the beguiling streets of the old town.
Learner examples
- He has a beguiling smile.
- The music was beguiling.
adjective
literary
C2
property
2
attractive but misleading or deceptive
nice or convincing, but not true or not safe.
Usage pattern:
[a beguiling + argument/claim/appearance/simplicity]
Common mistake:
Learners may use it for any kind of ‘interesting’; this sense specifically warns that something is misleading.
Synonyms
misleading (More neutral and direct; less focused on charm.)
|
deceptive (Stronger; clearly implies intent or effect of deception.)
|
specious (Formal; means plausible but false.)
Antonyms
straightforward (Clear and not misleading.)
|
honest (Truthful and not intended to deceive.)
Collocations
a beguiling appearance
|a beguiling promise
|a beguiling argument
|a beguiling explanation
|beguiling simplicity
|a beguiling theory
|a beguiling claim
|a beguiling illusion
|a beguiling offer
|beguiling words
Themes
communication
|thinking
|business
Examples
- The investment had a beguiling simplicity, but the risks were serious.
- His beguiling argument sounded logical until you checked the facts.
- The town’s beguiling calm hid the damage left by the storm.
Learner examples
- The offer was beguiling but unsafe.
Verb
literary
C2
action
3
deceiving someone (present participle)
using charm to persuade or trick someone.
Usage pattern:
beguiling [someone] (into [doing something])
Common mistake:
In modern everyday English, the verb beguile is less common than the adjective beguiling; learners may prefer ‘charm’ or ‘trick’ depending on meaning.
Synonyms
charming (Usually positive; does not necessarily imply deception.)
|
seducing (Stronger; often suggests temptation or attraction.)
|
tricking (Directly emphasizes deception, not charm.)
Antonyms
warning (Trying to prevent someone from being misled.)
|
repelling (Driving someone away rather than drawing them in.)
Collocations
beguiling someone into agreeing
|beguiling someone into a mistake
|beguiling an audience
|beguiling voters
|beguiling customers
|beguiling someone with flattery
|beguiling someone with stories
|beguiling someone with charm
Themes
relationships
|communication
|crime
Examples
- He stood by the door, beguiling guests with compliments.
- The salesman was beguiling customers into buying far more than they needed.
- She realized he had been beguiling her with half-truths.
Learner examples
- He was beguiling people with his stories.
Grammar
Dictionary form
beguiling
IPA
GB/bɪɡˈaɪlɪŋ/
US/bɪɡˈaɪlɪŋ/
Syllables & stress
be - guil - ing (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (guil)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: beguiling
Word family
Core family
beguile
verb
Related words
beguilingly
adverb C1
guile
noun
Negative and opposite forms
guileless
adjective
Advanced or less common
beguilement
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.