Tantalizes (6)
I believe the answer is:
teases
'tantalizes' is the definition.
(teasing is a kind of tantalizing)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for teases that I've seen before include "Provokes in playful manner" , "Vexes playfully" , "Makes fun of in a playful way" , "baits" , "Provokes in playful way" .)