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
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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
Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2024
Know when to say no, and refuse to let anyone sweet talk you into something that eats up your time, offering limited return.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 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
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
Know when to say no, and refuse to let anyone sweet talk you into something that eats up your time, offering limited return.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sweet-talk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweet-talk
Verb
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What Bednar has helped coax out of the Avalanche is nothing short of remarkable.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
11 Jan. 2026
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Vrabel, who played alongside Brady for Bill Belichick before establishing himself as a coach in Tennessee, led them to a 14-3 record while coaxing a possible MVP performance out of now-sophomore QB Drake Maye.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Currently, Lawrence seems to be rotating through a select number of winter outerwear, highly favoring a butter yellow robe coat and cropped leopard faux fur jacket by Jacquemus.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
24 Jan. 2026
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Buttercream is a mix of butter and sugar, flavored with a whole host of liquid extracts.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
24 Jan. 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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One that is more spiritually rewarding than praise or criticism in scouting reports.—
Mirin Fader,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Here in the United States, the writer and filmmaker Mike Judge has garnered praise over the course of his career for getting laughs out of broken systems and absurd ignorance in American culture.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The flattery must forever escalate and grow more fawning, until every follower’s dignity is shorn away.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
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In recent months, Europeans have mostly opted for diplomacy and flattery around him, even when seeking an end to the war in Ukraine.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Jan. 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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One of that Courier’s founders won acclaim from his peers for his tenure as dean of the University of Maryland’s journalism school.—
Colin Lecher,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
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In 1994, Chinese-American actress Vivian Wu garnered critical acclaim after appearing in The Joy Luck Club.—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sweet-talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweet-talk. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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