as in to cajole
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery
trying to coax their father into taking them on a ski trip, the teens mentioned what a great skier he is
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Recent Examples of coax
Occasionally, a repeat guest can coax him into an earlier revival.
—
Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2025
Always an adept director of actors, Donzelli coaxes a good turn out of Bouillon (Leave One Day), who plays a man with strong principles but pretty weak strategies about how to enact them.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
The goal of the study was to see whether or not participants could be coaxed into valuing a specific trait more purely based on experience alone.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
After nearly a full minute of coaxing, the standoff ends.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coax
Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2025
Always an adept director of actors, Donzelli coaxes a good turn out of Bouillon (Leave One Day), who plays a man with strong principles but pretty weak strategies about how to enact them.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
The goal of the study was to see whether or not participants could be coaxed into valuing a specific trait more purely based on experience alone.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
After nearly a full minute of coaxing, the standoff ends.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coax
Verb
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Investors won’t be cajoled by pressure from the Oval Office to continue buying either, said Desmond Lachman, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
3 Sep. 2025
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After years of cajoling workers, employers are taking a harder line.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This is because Curaçao has a rich legacy of live performance, with such local genres as ritmo kombina and tumba luring locals into small clubs packed with full-on mini orchestras.—
Baz Dreisinger,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Maybe even lure restaurants and other businesses nearby.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The dramatic irony, of course, is that Julia did seduce Lovat and is now trying to take advantage of a precedent set by Davina with her own son, but Julia still ends up appealing to Davina’s better angels.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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Either way, the intention is to transport, and to seduce, as with fine music.—
Douglas Unger
August 29,
Literary Hub,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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There are tons of enticing cold and hot drinks.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Sep. 2025
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Responding to the demand, and hoping to entice younger shoppers into their financial ecosystems, payment facilitators such as Cash App, the BNPL provider Klarna, the fintech bank Chime, and even American Express have recently launched their own debit cards.—
Michael Waters,
The Atlantic,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After wheedling some cash from him, while Noon rifles through his backpack, Win convinces him to stay and teach some lessons.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
24 July 2025
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Eli Mintz, a Yiddish-theatre star, played Uncle David with a high, wheedling voice, his hands a blur of gesticulation, and the Goldberg children were portrayed by Gentile actors, including the endearing Arlene (Fuzzy) McQuade as the preteen Rosalie, a studious girl with a sleek bob.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Verb
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McDonald’s is cutting prices on some combo meals to woo back customers who’ve been turned off by the rising costs of grabbing a fast food meal.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
2 Sep. 2025
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But wooing Western partners would likely involve some compromises that these dictators are probably unwilling to make.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Stander and colleagues have been leading the effort and were previously urged by Florida state officials to try it.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
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Jang Dong-hyeok, chair of the main opposition People Power Party in Korea, urged President Lee on Saturday to take swift action, citing broader repercussions to other Korean businesses.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As summer winds down and your strands have endured heatwaves, pool days, and sweaty workouts, your curls might be begging for a break.—
Larry Stansbury,
Essence,
4 Sep. 2025
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Here’s the at-home solution your achy legs have been begging for.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coax. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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