as in to coax
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery
she can sweet-talk her besotted boyfriend into just about anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in butter
excessive praise
enough of this sweet talk—just give me your honest opinion of my performance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of sweet-talk
Matthias Matthijs, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2025
When you're isolated, that sweet-talking stranger starts looking pretty appealing.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2024
When things aren’t working on a practical level, though, no amount of sweet talk can cover that up.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sweet-talk
Verb
Then, after Trump rolled out the red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, in mid-August, a group of European leaders, including Zelensky, flocked to Washington in a collective effort to sweet-talk Trump.
—Matthias Matthijs, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2025
When you're isolated, that sweet-talking stranger starts looking pretty appealing.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
Just in case that gave Reba a leg up, don't let her sweet talk you.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2024
When things aren’t working on a practical level, though, no amount of sweet talk can cover that up.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sweet-talk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweet-talk
Verb
-
Even in the depths of winter, nature dazzles with bulbs that can be coaxed into bloom indoors.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Feb. 2026
-
An assault weapons ban likely would have passed too, but then-Attorney General Ashley Moody coaxed the Florida Supreme Court to keep it off the ballot.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And while Hailey Bieber may have waved goodbye to butter yellow, this soft shade of gold gets a warm embrace.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2026
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Then spread the remaining butter mixture on top and bake them at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden and melty.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Practical self-care items such as thick lotions, face masks and soft soaps that don’t irritate skin. Pragmatic.—
Ellen T. Meiser,
The Conversation,
5 Dec. 2025
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People should wash any skin that comes into contact with the slurry with water and soft soap, before using a hand cream to avoid dryness and cracking.—
Lauren Penington,
The Denver Post,
2 Sep. 2024
Noun
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If someone fishes for attention, offer praise while naming your need for equal give and take, because harmony grows when kindness and clarity share space.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
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Miles was also quick to offer the same type of praise for Suarez.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Hey, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, eh?—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
-
These evocations of the French master in a daily newspaper are not the stuff of flattery.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The store also has some more traditional candy and a large assortment of taffy.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
19 Jan. 2026
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So, go ahead, give a pound of peanut-butter fudge from Chatham Candy Manor ($20), or two pounds of Shriver’s taffy ($30), or a tin of Peppermint Divinity from the Vermont Country Store ($17), or a tub of Dubble Bubble ($19).—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Nautilus quickly earned critical acclaim, becoming the first publication to win two National Magazine Awards in its first year of eligibility.—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
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The Chilean director earned international acclaim with the Oscar-nominated No, with later standouts including Jackie, Spencer, El Conde and the recent Angelina Jolie starrer, Maria — a career that has consistently spanned arthouse cinema and prestige English-language filmmaking.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sweet-talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweet-talk. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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