to cajole

Examples

• All

• I have cajoled, I have begged them, now I'm begging you.

  Pawn Sacrifice (2015)

• Eventually, the designers cajoled the engineers into agreeing to a variant.

  Academic text (1999)

• Really trying to cajole her.

  Maggie's Plan (2016)

• Even the warden had tried to cajole him into sharing market tips.

  Fiction book (2000)

• And she kind of kept cajoling me until I agreed to like write a couple test posts and ended up working out.

• So he would humor me, cajole me, and flatter me.

  Fiction book (1993)

• So we wheedled, cajoled, and absolutely insisted that Norman bring you round for tea.

  Miss Potter (2006)

• During the next decade, I begged and cajoled my oppressor into letting me pursue my education.

  Academic text (2015)

• And she prodded and cajoled and convinced Essence to apply Milani for the Louisiana scholarship program.

• He used charm and humor to cajole his friend into joining him for the trip.

Synonyms

C

to convince

vsto cajole

∞ 2.7

Make someone believe something is true or agree to do something

focuses less on logical belief and more on gentle flattering persuasion

P

to persuade

vsto cajole

472 2.7

To make someone agree or do something by giving reasons

leans more on charm and repeated flattering appeals than reasoned argument

C

to coax

vsto cajole

54 4.1

To gently persuade someone by being kind and patient

uses more flattery and repeated appeals rather than only patient support

I

to induce

vsto cajole

51 4.9

Persuade someone to do something

relies specifically on gentle flattery and repeated appealing requests

N

to nudge

vsto cajole

24 4.1

To gently encourage someone to try something new

uses flattery and repeated appeals rather than brief gentle prompts

P

to prevail

vsto cajole

• Formal

23 6.7

To persuade someone to do something after repeated effort

focuses on gentle urging and flattering appeals rather than only persistence

S

to sweet-talk

vsto cajole

• Informal

23 5.3

To persuade someone by saying nice things to them

uses flattery plus repeated appeals and more persistent urging

W

to wheedle

vsto cajole

5 7.9

To persuade someone by gentle praise or asking nicely

adds repeated appeals and a stronger sense of coaxing by flattery

P

to prevail upon

vsto cajole

4 7.7

To persuade someone who does not want to do something to do it

uses gentle flattery and repeated appeals rather than sustained pressure

I

to inveigle

vsto cajole

• Formal

2 9.5

To get someone to do something by flattering or tricking them

is gentler and less sneaky, using repeated appeals and charm

R

to rope in

vsto cajole

• Informal

2 5.4

Convince someone to join an activity, often when they do not want to

uses gentle flattery and repeated appeals rather than casual recruitment

S

to soft-soap

vsto cajole

• Informal

1 7.7

To try to persuade someone by giving false praise

can use flattering praise but focuses more on gentle repeated appeals

B

to blarney

vsto cajole

9.5

Persuade someone with flattering talk to gain an advantage

relies on gentle flattery and repeated appeals rather than firm argument

E

to engle

vsto cajole

• Archaic

9.9

To gently persuade someone by praise or charm

is the modern sense of gentle flattery and repeated urging

P

to palaver

vsto cajole

• Archaic

9.9

To get someone to do something by saying nice things

matches that style but often implies more deliberate repeated appeals

Antonyms

C

to coerce

• Offensive

91 6.4

Force someone to do something by threats

D

to dissuade

35 6.0

To try to stop someone from doing something by talking to them

How Persuasive

to urge

591 3.2

to persuade

472 2.7

to cajole

15 7.7

to coax

54 4.1

to encourage

∞ 2.3

to ask

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology