to coax

Examples

• All

• In one scene, disco music blares in the courtyard, coaxing patients to dance.

  Academic text (2017)

• lt took me hours to coax him out again.

  For Love or Money (1993)

• And as a result, they feel they have to do stuff to coax people to like them or to have people stick around.

  DoctorRamani

• You earn his trust and then you coax out of him what you really need.

  51 (2011)

• I try to coax him out with chocolate pie

  Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

• hopefully, I can coax maya out of her bedroom.

  Killer Prom (2020)

• Children do not need to be coaxed or taught to draw if presented with drawing supplies.

  Academic text (2007)

• Chewey's presence also has helped coax Kaleb to come to school in the first place.

  Academic text (2010)

• Meredydd cleared her throat, managing to coax it into producing a semblance of speech.

  Fiction book (1992)

• She was able to coax her shy puppy to come out from under the bed with treats.

Synonyms

C

to convince

vsto coax

∞ 2.7

Make someone believe something is true or agree to do something

relies on gentle patient encouragement and kindness rather than logical proof

U

to urge

vsto coax

591 3.2

To strongly encourage someone to do something

prefers calm patient encouragement and kindness instead of forceful urging

P

to persuade

vsto coax

472 2.7

To make someone agree or do something by giving reasons

does this through gentle patient kindness rather than formal argument

L

to lure

vsto coax

270 3.7

To get someone to do something by offering a reward or making false promises

uses honest patient kindness and encouragement rather than tempting offers

T

to talk into

vsto coax

236 3.0

Make someone agree to do something by giving reasons

uses soft patient encouragement and kind support rather than explaining reasons

P

to prompt

vsto coax

217 3.6

Make someone do or say something

focuses on slow patient persuasion and kindness rather than quick prompts

E

to entice

vsto coax

61 4.9

To persuade someone to do something by offering something they want

prefers steady patient kindness and encouragement rather than appealing bait

I

to induce

vsto coax

51 4.9

Persuade someone to do something

aims for patient kind persuasion instead of directly causing action

N

to nudge

vsto coax

24 4.1

To gently encourage someone to try something new

employs calm patient verbal encouragement rather than quick pestering pushes

P

to prevail

vsto coax

• Formal

23 6.7

To persuade someone to do something after repeated effort

relies on steady patient kindness from the start rather than prolonged effort

S

to sweet-talk

vsto coax

• Informal

23 5.3

To persuade someone by saying nice things to them

chooses slow patient encouragement and kindness over slick flattery

E

to exhort

vsto coax

• Formal

16 7.7

To strongly encourage someone to do something

uses gentle patient persuasion and kindness rather than strong urging

C

to cajole

vsto coax

15 7.7

To persuade someone to do something by gentle talk and praise

relies on patient steady kindness rather than repeated appeals

W

to wheedle

vsto coax

5 7.9

To persuade someone by gentle praise or asking nicely

uses patient kindness and calm encouragement rather than flattery

P

to prevail upon

vsto coax

4 7.7

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

uses patient gentle encouragement rather than pressuring reluctant choices

I

to inveigle

vsto coax

• Formal

2 9.5

To get someone to do something by flattering or tricking them

favours steady patient kindness and direct encouragement not trickery

R

to rope in

vsto coax

• Informal

2 5.4

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

uses kind patient invitation and encouragement rather than pressuring inclusion

S

to soft-soap

vsto coax

• Informal

1 7.7

To try to persuade someone by giving false praise

prefers genuine patient kindness and encouragement instead of fake praise

T

to twist someone's arm

vsto coax

• Informal

1 4.4

Get someone to agree or do something by pressuring them

chooses patient gentle encouragement and kindness over applying pressure

J

to jawbone

vsto coax

• Literature

1 7.9

Talk strongly to someone to try to persuade them

relies on quiet patient kindness and encouragement not loud pressure

B

to blarney

vsto coax

9.5

Persuade someone with flattering talk to gain an advantage

favors steady patient kindness instead of polished flattering words

P

to palaver

vsto coax

• Archaic

9.9

To get someone to do something by saying nice things

uses calm patient encouragement rather than prolonged flattering talk

E

to engle

vsto coax

• Archaic

9.9

To gently persuade someone by praise or charm

uses modern patient kindness and encouragement instead of archaic flattery

G

to give a prod

vsto coax

3.9

Encourage someone gently to start doing something

uses drawn out patient persuasion rather than brief physical prompting

B

to bend someone's will

vsto coax

7.1

Persuade someone to do what you want

favours gentle patient encouragement and kindness over forcing compliance

Antonyms

F

to force

∞ 2.3

To make someone do something by using power or pressure

C

to coerce

• Offensive

91 6.4

Force someone to do something by threats

Compounds

C

coax cable

• Specialized

1 3.9

A cable with a metal shield and central wire that carries TV and internet signals

How Persuasive

to pressure

149 4.2

to cajole

15 7.7

to coax

54 4.1

to encourage

∞ 2.3

to nudge

24 4.1

Surface Forms

Etymology