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cajolery

cajolery

1 8.4
Gentle praise and kind words used to get someone to do something
  • noun
  • /kəˈdʒoʊlərɪ/
translation icon : lisonja
  • The teacher's cajolery helped the shy student feel more confident in class.
  • threats and cajolery

Examples

  • It's an exciting, suspenseful movie about cajolery, persuasion, and ideology.

    Blog text (11)
  • But in our present Western world, we face a literal bombardment of cajolery from all the media to eat this or that.

    Academic text (2003)
  • For the fame, not because of your cajolery.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • "During this cajolery, Annabelle's head came up."

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Each meal on that and the following days was served to a similar accompaniment of cajolery and gently expressed concern.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • It's the having somewhere to go every day that's important enough for him to resist all his children's threats and cajolery.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Even there, the most radical and unsuspected questions are often met with predictable answers, cajolery, and even ostracism.

    Academic text (1994)
  • No amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party.

    Blog text (26)
  • You have to direct the choirs, with those horrid strange pianos!" -- but set her face and began to think of what threat or cajolery they might use.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • "Is she a termagant, then?" he heard Falconer ask of his brother with a look that was a comical compound of genuine dismay and halfhearted cajolery.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

flattery
vscajolery
37 4.7

Praise people give without meaning it to get something from someone

adds the idea of mild urging as another way to persuade
adulation
vscajolery
  • Formal
18 8.4

Too much praise that is not honest and meant to get approval

is narrower by combining praise with gentle urging to persuade
coaxing
vscajolery
5 4.4

Gentle persuasion using praise or kind words to get someone to do something

is the general act of persuading by praise or mild urging
sweet talk
vscajolery
  • Informal
3 4.3

Flattering words that try to persuade someone but are not sincere

includes both spoken praise and gentle urging as persuasion methods
palaver
vscajolery
  • Informal
2 8.8

A lot of talk that sounds important but says nothing

focuses more narrowly on persuading through praise or gentle urging
blandishment
vscajolery
  • Formal
2 9.8

A friendly compliment meant to persuade someone to do something

is the broader practice of persuading by praise or gentle urging
wheedling
vscajolery
1 7.8

Getting someone to do something by saying nice things and asking again and again

is the overall act of using praise or mild urging to persuade
smarm
vscajolery
  • Informal
1 9.7

Praise that is too much and not sincere to make someone like you

is more about the act of persuading by praise or gentle urging
gentle persuasion
vscajolery
1 3.9

To convince someone with kind words or calm actions

is specifically about persuading through praise or gentle urging
soft soap
vscajolery
  • Informal
1 7.6

Insincere praise used to try to influence someone

covers the same persuasion by praise or mild urging rather than force
smarminess
vscajolery
  • Informal
1 9.2

Too much praise that tries to make people like you

applies this quality within the act of persuading by praise or urging
ingratiation
vscajolery
9.1

Trying to make someone like you by saying nice things or doing favors

focuses more on winning approval than only mild urging
unctuousness
vscajolery
9.9

A false friendliness that tries to please or impress people

is the specific act of persuading using praise or mild urging
bootlicking
vscajolery
  • Offensive
8.6

Acting too friendly and praising people in power to get favors

is broader, applying praise or mild urging to persuade anyone
toadyism
vscajolery
9.9

A habit of flattering and obeying a person in power to gain favor

is the more general practice of persuading by praise or mild urging

Antonyms

Making someone less willing to do something by saying you do not like it

How Persuasive

cajolery
1 8.4
flattery
37 4.7
encouragement
89 1.7
suggestion
759 1.4

Surface Forms

cajolery singular
cajoleries plural

Morphology

cajolery = cajole (transparent) = cajole + ery

Formed by the verb 'cajole' plus the noun-forming suffix '-ery', denoting the act or practice of cajoling; meaning is directly derivable from the base.

Etymology

Cajolery comes from the French verb cajoler, which once meant 'to chatter' or 'to coax', like a bird using smooth talk. So cajolery is gentle flattery or soft talk used to persuade someone.