The word "tantalize" originates from Tantalus, a figure in Greek mythology who was punished by the gods to stand in water with friuit hanging over his head.   The punishment was eternal torment because whenever he tried to drink, the water receded, and whenever he tried to eat, the fruit would move out of his reach. The English verb "tantalize" was formed by using the first part of the word Tantalus with the suffix "ize", which generally means "to make," "to treat," or "to cause to be." 

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the verb "tantalize" was first used in English in the late 1500s, with the earliest documented evidence coming from the year 1597, in a work by the poet and translator Robert Tofte. 

Examples of "tantalize" used in a sentence: 
"She was tantalized by the possibility of earning a lot of money quickly." 
"Hints of the old Tiger have tantalized fans and goosed TV ratings."
"All the local teams have done since then was tantalize and tease." 
"A car salesman will often tantalize you with an expensive vehicle that is not within your budget." 
"Stores sometimes use bait-and-switch gimmicks to tantalize people into coming to their sales."
"Each holds a tantalizing apple, placed from the tree of knowledge of good and evil." 
"Miller is a tantalizing blend of skill and toughness, the type of player that can drag a team into the fight."
"Two months ago, the speed and skill in Ann Arbor looked tantalizing."

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