intrigue

Intrigue refers to a situation that's mysterious or puzzling, often making people curious. It can also refer to a clever trick or plan used to manipulate others.

When we say something is intriguing, we mean it's got us interested and wanting to know more. Think about watching a good detective movie – the mystery is what keeps you hooked, right? You're intrigued by who did it and how they managed to pull it off. Or imagine being in a conversation with someone who keeps dropping hints but not giving away too much information – that can be pretty intriguing too.

Intrigue can also mean a clever trick or plan used to manipulate others. For example, if someone is using their charm to get what they want from you, we might say they're using intrigue. But in this sense, it's not always something positive – it can feel like the other person is being sneaky or underhanded.

Intrigue as a verb means to create a mysterious or puzzling situation, often on purpose. If someone is trying to make us curious about something, we might say they're intriguing us.