as in cajoling
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery
wheedled him into doing their work for them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wheedling
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
Checkers can see your shortcuts, your reportorial wheedling, your blind spots.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wheedling
Verb
-
In Murano, a glassmaker bends over the furnace, coaxing color from fire.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Oct. 2025
-
But coaxing him to linger over a chapter is nearly impossible, often excruciating.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Chelsea toil at Twente Sonia Bompastor’s post-match entreaty to Chelsea at Twente concerned desire — specifically the need for her side to find more of it following their 1-1 draw.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
-
But the Pennsylvania senator has steadfastly declined entreaties to leave the Democratic Party.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
However, the pavilion’s visitors rarely complied with this on-screen exhortation, leaving the nearby microphones unused.—
Joanna Warsza,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Indeed, there were few exhortations from the roster of speakers at Kirk’s memorial to reduce the temperature in American politics or show more tolerance for all sides, right, left and center.—
David M. Drucker,
Twin Cities,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice.—
Jacob Camenker,
USA Today,
12 Oct. 2025
-
But the question is, what kind of a profit margin, if any, is there, and how much of an inducement is that to continue on in this universe?—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Impressed by the senator’s blandishments, the egoistic journalist argues military strategy and then faces a moment of conscience.—
Armond White,
National Review,
17 May 2023
-
People want to hear blandishments about engagement and infrastructure.—
Rory Smith,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2023
Noun
-
In this newest cover-up, Clooney repeats his film’s original failing — its nostalgic salute to the power of electronic media suasion.—
Armond White,
National Review,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Finally, the original Concert vision embraced formal deliberation and moral suasion as the key mechanism of collaborative foreign policy.—
Stacie E. Goddard,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wheedling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wheedling. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share