attract

verb

/əˈtrækt/

Definition

B1 [T] (of people, things, places, etc.) to pull or draw someone or something towards them, by the qualities they have, especially good ones: These flowers are brightly coloured in order to attract butterflies. The circus is attracting huge crowds/audiences. Magnets attract iron filings. The government is trying to attract industry to the area (= to persuade people to place their industry there). Her ideas have attracted a lot of attention/criticism in the scientific community.Attracting and temptingAttractiveSexual attraction B2 [T usually passive] If you are attracted by or to someone, you like them, often finding them sexually interesting: I'm not physically/sexually attracted to him.Attracting and temptingAttractiveSexual attractionSexual attractionAttractive

(Definition of attract verb from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)