as in cajoling
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 coaxing
Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
But coaxing nematodes is tricky and time-consuming, so Ortega-Jiménez collaborated with Ranjiangshang Ran, a postdoc studying fluid mechanics at Emory University, who ran computer simulations of thousands more jump trajectories.
—Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025
Amidst the pandemic, sitting down at my machine was one reliable way of coaxing order from chaos.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
But so far, Jones should feel major vindication for giving Schottenheimer the gig, because Schottenheimer is coaxing the best football out of quarterback Dak Prescott.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2025
In the video, Munn is holding her little girl excitedly, coaxing her to repeat it on camera.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
In Murano, a glassmaker bends over the furnace, coaxing color from fire.
—Big Think, 9 Oct. 2025
Kershaw also made an impact with his bat, coaxing 13 pitches out of Bumgarner in the top of the fifth before grounding out.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
Faucher also allowed a one-out single to Josh Jung and a walk to Michael Helman before coaxing a flyout by Joc Pederson to end the game and record his 15th save of the season.
—Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
Noun
One of his former teachers was still there, coaxing students to line up neatly.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
But coaxing nematodes is tricky and time-consuming, so Ortega-Jiménez collaborated with Ranjiangshang Ran, a postdoc studying fluid mechanics at Emory University, who ran computer simulations of thousands more jump trajectories.
—Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025
Amidst the pandemic, sitting down at my machine was one reliable way of coaxing order from chaos.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
But so far, Jones should feel major vindication for giving Schottenheimer the gig, because Schottenheimer is coaxing the best football out of quarterback Dak Prescott.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2025
In the video, Munn is holding her little girl excitedly, coaxing her to repeat it on camera.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
In Murano, a glassmaker bends over the furnace, coaxing color from fire.
—Big Think, 9 Oct. 2025
Kershaw also made an impact with his bat, coaxing 13 pitches out of Bumgarner in the top of the fifth before grounding out.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
Faucher also allowed a one-out single to Josh Jung and a walk to Michael Helman before coaxing a flyout by Joc Pederson to end the game and record his 15th save of the season.
—Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coaxing
Verb
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But, rather than give up, Azel became a pickleball advocate, tirelessly educating, lobbying and cajoling politicians, park directors and anyone else who would listen about the incredible growth of the sport nation-wide.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
14 Oct. 2025
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Touches five and six are merely the cajoling preamble to the pièce de résistance, aka touch seven, a piercing through ball which splits defender Goncalo Inacio and backtracking forward Geny Catamo like a warm bread knife through a ciabatta roll straight out of Mama’s oven.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But Putin cannot have needed much persuading to agree to a formal invitation to the US to have the bilateral meeting his team have long held out as the way towards peace in Ukraine.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
9 Aug. 2025
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In the framework of conversational intelligence, most workplace communication falls into Level 1 (telling) or Level 2 (persuading).—
Susan Curtin,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Checkers can see your shortcuts, your reportorial wheedling, your blind spots.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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He is accused of luring a young girl into his van parked in the church’s parking lot or to the church’s basement to abuse the girl over and over during a seven-year period, according to the release.—
Ryanne Mena,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
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Despite the recent spotlight on O’Donnell and Dokoupil, CBS News executives have begun making outreach to talent agencies in hopes of luring new anchors to the fold, according to three people familiar with the matter.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This pho has gone viral online, rightfully wooing diners while honoring its Vietnamese roots.—
Bao Ong,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Sep. 2025
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While the likes of McDonald’s and Subway have hardly vanished from terminals, concessions companies are increasingly wooing popular local eateries and celebrity chefs to bring their signature menu items to the traveling public.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Conveniently, two beautiful young strangers (Ana de Armas, Lorenza Izzo) come by late one stormy night, inviting themselves in and quickly seducing him.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
18 Oct. 2025
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Here are some of the less invasive procedures seducing Hollywood, as well as some of their most sought-after practitioners.—
Elycia Rubin,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But despite his entreaties, including meeting with Putin in Alaska, floating sanctions relief, and threatening to cut off aid to Kyiv, the Russian president has refused to be charmed into giving up on his invasion.—
Mira Rapp-Hooper,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
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However, so far, WBD has turned down the Ellison entreaties.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Porat closed by urging leaders to really dig in and reimagine what’s possible in their own organizations.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
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Forecasters are urging travelers to check state road condition websites before setting out, as snow and ice are likely on high-elevation roads and mountain passes.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coaxing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coaxing. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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