wheedle

whee·dle

verb \ˈhwē-d^əl, ˈwē-\

whee·dledwhee·dling\ˈ(h)wēd-liŋ, ˈ(h)wē-d^əl-iŋ\

Definition of WHEEDLE

transitive verb

1

: to influence or entice by soft words or flattery

2

: to gain or get by wheedling <wheedle one's way into favor>

intransitive verb

: to use soft words or flattery

Examples of WHEEDLE

1. He wheedled quite a bit of money from her.
2. She pleaded and wheedled, but I wouldn't be swayed.

Origin of WHEEDLE

origin unknown

First Known Use: circa 1661

Related to WHEEDLE

Synonyms: blandish, blarney, cajole, palaver, soft-soap, sweet-talk, coax

Related Words: adulate, flatter, overpraise; butter up, charm, massage, woo; beg, beseech, importune, urge; beguile, cozen, finagle, juggle, wangle, wile; entice, lure, seduce, tempt

Near Antonyms: bug, harass, nag, pester, tease; browbeat, bulldoze, bully, cow, intimidate; coerce, compel, constrain, demand, force, make, oblige, require

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See Synonym Discussion at cajole

Rhymes with WHEEDLE

aedile, beadle, creedal, daedal, needle