What is what does tantalize means?

To tantalize means to tease or torment someone by presenting something desirable and then withholding it. It can also mean to excite someone's senses or interest, often by presenting something that is just out of reach or by suggesting something that is not fully revealed. The term comes from the Greek mythological figure Tantalus, who was punished by the gods by being placed in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree. Every time he reached for a fruit, the branches would move out of his reach and the water would recede, leaving him forever thirsty and hungry.