attractive nuisance
noun
Simple meaning
A hazardous object or condition that is likely to attract children who are unable to appreciate the risk posed by the object or condition.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
uhtraktihvnoosuhnsSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ətˈɹæktɪvnusəns
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
law
In the legal area of torts, a hazardous object or condition that is likely to attract children who are unable to appreciate the risk posed by the object or condition, and to whom the landowner can therefore be held liable for injuries.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
This meaning: In the legal area of torts, a hazardous object or condition that is likely to attract children who are unable to appreciate the risk posed by the object or condition, and to whom the landowner can therefore be held liable for injuries.
Used this way, attractive nuisance is a specialist word with a clearly warm, approving pull. This is a legal use: the wording is institutional and carries a defined meaning in law rather than a loose everyday one.
- Emotional tone
- Positive
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Gentle
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Grateful and appreciative
- Usage feel
- Clinical and detached
Where it naturally appears
- Law/legal
- Government/politics
- Academic writing
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
Share your sentence
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “attractive nuisance” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.