How to Memorize

tantalize - tease

Analysis

When you are so close to something you desire that you can figuratively almost touch it, yet it continues to remain just out of your reach, then it can be called ‘tantalizing’. In such cases, the initial hope and excitement quickly turns to disappointment and resignation. You can deliberately tantalize somebody in order to manipulate them.

Example(s)

1. My boss tried to tantalize me with talk of a promotion, but I know she was just saying that to get me to do the donkey work on the project.

2. We were tantalizingly close to a breakthrough in our research, but then we hit another stumbling block.

3. The movie studio tantalized fans with a quick 20 second trailer of the latest installment in the franchise, which will not be released until later in the year.