From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtemptationtemp‧ta‧tion /tempˈteɪʃən/ ●●○ noun [countable, uncountable] 1 ATTRACTa strong desire to have or do something even though you know you should nottemptation to do something There might be a temptation to cheat if students sit too close together. Resist the temptation to buy the item until you’re certain you need it. I finally gave in to the temptation and had a cigarette.2 WANTsomething that makes you want to have or do something, even though you know you should not Selling alcohol at truck stops is an unnecessary temptation for drivers.COLLOCATIONSverbsresist the temptation to do somethingIf you feel hungry during the day, resist the temptation to eat chocolate.give in to temptation (=do what you feel you want to do)Be strong – don’t give in to temptation.succumb/yield to temptation formal (=give in to temptation)Lorna succumbed to temptation and ordered the apple pie.avoid the temptation to do somethingAvoid the temptation to cheat.there is a temptation to do somethingThere is also the temptation to pay for the whole thing with a credit card.adjectivesgreat/strongThere is a strong temptation to ignore all the potential problems.The temptation was too great for her to resist.overwhelmingHe felt an overwhelming temptation to kiss her.
Examples from the Corpus
temptation• There is always a temptation to blame others for your own problems.• If such ideas were to spread, his own slaves might find them too great a temptation to resist.• Life in New York has so many temptations.• The point is repeated in several scenes of temptation.• In fact, one temptation in writing a management book is to quote Drucker on every other page.• In this way, she reasoned, he would be removed from the temptations of the city.• When life was hard, the temptation to start drinking again was strong.• The church should resist the temptation to merely tick over.• Resist the temptation to get involved. After all, it's not your problem.• She thought of taking a day off work, but resisted the temptation.• Yet the temptation to use the Games for political purposes remains irresistible.• I finally gave in to temptation and ate a huge piece of cheesecake.• In the end, he gave in to temptation, and lit his first cigarette in five days.gave in to ... temptation• Rick gave in to the temptation to steal the watch. 