wheedling 1 of 2

noun

as in coaxing

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wheedling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wheedle
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

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
Noun
Checkers can see your shortcuts, your reportorial wheedling, your blind spots. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
In a bid to rekindle the couple’s honeymoon phase, Yasmin troubleshoots by wheedling a chief executive role for him at payment processing company Tender (run by Max Minghella‘s inscrutable puppet-master Whitney Halberstram), and throwing her husband a lavish costume party for his 40th birthday. — Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 18 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wheedling
  1. coaxing
  2. entreaty
  3. persuading
  4. exhortation
  5. inducement
  6. blandishment
  7. suasion
Noun
  • Spider Plant Unlike snake plants, spider plants need no coaxing to make more plants for your collection.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2026
  • And honestly, this type of traveler doesn’t need the most coaxing to try out a cruise vacation.
    — Scott Laird, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of coaxing
Noun
  • But such is the scale of Brazil’s polarization that many Brazilians are insensible to Lula’s entreaties and want the left defeated.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Abroad, their entreaties had remained unsuccessful, their diplomats had remained unrecognized, and their national existence had remained unrealized.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of entreaty
Noun
  • In reality, Blanding says, her sister didn’t need much persuading.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Goode needed no persuading about the beauty of animals like New Caledonian geckos, African bush vipers, Caribbean rock iguanas, and similar Cyclura.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of persuading
Noun
  • Duckworth also faced backlash from critics who argued that her message was, at best, a series of hollow exhortations to simply try harder and, at worst, an insidious form of victim-blaming that ignored structural inequality.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • His character is a severe, hectoring figure; his lessons amount to an exhortation to be as mean as possible when money is concerned.
    — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhortation
Noun
  • Eventually the movie begins to sound like an inducement to book a room.
    — Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Agreements with Pfizer and Eli Lilly include tariff protections, overseas pricing inducements and broad confidentiality clauses.
    — Dan Diamond, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of inducement
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
Definition of blandishment
Noun
  • All that remains may be the power of public suasion, but Gilead hasn’t demonstrated much sensitivity to such pressure.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
  • In some circumstances, moral suasion can also be effective.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Definition of suasion

Browse Nearby Words

wheedles
wheedling
wheel
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Cite this Entry

“Wheedling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wheedling. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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