From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtantalizetan‧ta‧lize (also tantalise British English) /ˈtæntəl-aɪz/ verb [intransitive, transitive] PROMISEto show or promise something that someone really wants, but then not allow them to have it→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
tantalize• It goes as far as it can and waits there for a while, its big eyes staring up, tantalized.• What were her many mysteries, she tantalized herself, replaying all the loves she'd ever known.• It was wiser not to tantalize oneself.Origin tantalize (1500-1600) Tantalus king in an ancient Greek story who had to stand up to his chin in water under a fruit tree, but was unable to reach either the water to drink or the fruit to eat 