Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

1 VERB If something attracts people or animals, it has features that cause them to come to it. □ [V n] The Cardiff Bay project is attracting many visitors. □ [V n adv/prep] Warm weather has attracted the flat fish close to shore.

2 VERB If someone or something attracts you, they have particular qualities which cause you to like or admire them. If a particular quality attracts you to a person or thing, it is the reason why you like them. □ [V n] He wasn't sure he'd got it right, although the theory attracted him by its logic. □ [be V -ed + to ] More people would be attracted to cycling if conditions were right.

3 VERB If you are attracted to someone, you are interested in them sexually. □ [be V -ed + to ] In spite of her hostility, she was attracted to him. ●  at|tract|ed ADJ [v-link ADJ ] □ [+ to ] He was nice looking, but I wasn't deeply attracted to him.

4 VERB If something attracts support, publicity, or money, it receives support, publicity, or money. □ [V n] President Mwinyi said his country would also like to attract investment from private companies.

5 VERB If one object attracts another object, it causes the second object to move towards it. □ [V n + to ] Anything with strong gravity attracts other things to it. [Also V n]

6to attract someone's attention → see attention SYNONYMS attract VERB 1

draw:The game is currently drawing huge crowds.

appeal:On the other hand, the idea appealed to him.

lure:They did not realise that they were being lured into a trap.

entice:They'll entice doctors to move from the cities by paying them better salaries.

at|trac|tion /ətræ kʃ ^ə n/ (attractions )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Attraction is a feeling of liking someone, and often of being sexually interested in them. □  His love for her was not just physical attraction.

2 N‑COUNT An attraction is a feature which makes something interesting or desirable. □ [+ of ] …the attractions of living on the waterfront.

3 N‑COUNT An attraction is something that people can go to for interest or enjoyment, for example a famous building. □  The walled city is an important tourist attraction.

at|trac|tive ◆◇◇ /ətræ kt I v/

1 ADJ A person who is attractive is pleasant to look at. □  She's a very attractive woman. □  He was always immensely attractive to women. ●  at|trac|tive|ness N‑UNCOUNT □  Most of us would say that physical attractiveness does not play a major part in how we react to the people we meet.

2 ADJ Something that is attractive has a pleasant appearance or sound. □  The creamy white flowers are attractive in the spring. ●  at|trac|tive|ly ADV [usu ADV -ed/adj] □  It's an attractively illustrated, detailed guide that's very practical.

3 ADJ You can describe something as attractive when it seems worth having or doing. □  Smoking is still attractive to many young people who see it as glamorous. ●  at|trac|tive|ly ADV [ADV -ed/adj] □  The services are attractively priced and are tailored to suit individual requirements.

at|trib|ut|able /ətr I bjʊtəb ^ə l/ ADJ If something is attributable to an event, situation, or person, it is likely that it was caused by that event, situation or person. □ [+ to ] 10,000 deaths a year from chronic lung disease are attributable to smoking.