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# attract

«attract» in Mova's school dictionary: **to pull something towards itself: magnets attract iron** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (attract, attracts, attracted, attracting); noun attraction; adjective attractive

### meaning for a pupil

1) To attract means to pull something towards itself: magnets attract iron. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#m1)

2) To attract means to make people or animals want to come near or pay attention: bright flowers attract bees. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#m2)

3) To attract someone can mean to make them like you or find you nice-looking. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In science magnets attract things made of iron, nickel and steel; opposite poles (north and south) attract each other, while the same poles repel (push away). Gravity is a force that attracts objects towards each other; the Earth attracts us, which is why we fall down. In nature, flowers attract insects with colour and smell, and food left out attracts ants, wasps and rats. In everyday life, wearing bright colours attracts attention so drivers see you. Phrases: attract attention, attract crowds, opposites attract.

### examples

- Magnets attract paper clips. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#x1)
- The north pole of a magnet attracts the south pole of another. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#x2)
- Bright flowers attract bees and butterflies. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#x3)
- Sweet drinks attract wasps in summer. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#x4)
- Wave your arms to attract the lifeguard's attention. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#x5)
- The new playground attracts lots of children. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#x6)
- The Earth's gravity attracts everything towards it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#x7)
- Leaving food out attracts ants. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#x8)
- Two pictures, placed side by side, attracted a large number of spectators. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/#x9)

### note

Regular verb: attracted. Opposite in science: repel (push away). Myth: magnets do not attract all metals: aluminium, copper and gold are not attracted. «Attraction» can also be a place people visit: a tourist attraction.

### In the corpora

- [Male frigatebirds puff up a big red throat pouch to attract females, and frigatebirds can stay in the air for weeks without landing.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/180-the-galapagos-giant-tortoises-sea-iguanas-darwins-finches-and-tame-sea-lions/14/)
- [Buddleia, called the butterfly bush, is full of nectar and attracts many butterflies to a garden.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/219-butterflies-moths-and-ladybirds/15/)
- [Secrets attracted Toad «because he never could keep one», and he enjoyed the thrill of telling one after promising not to.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/68-willows-ch11-part4-the-secret-passage/13/)
- [Wasps are attracted to sweet food and drinks.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/24-bees-and-wasps/17/)
- [Eating in bed leaves crumbs that attract insects and make the bed dirty, so food is eaten at the table.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/119-bedroom-living-room-and-manners/5/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «attract» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/attract/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.