as in to cajole
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery
trying to coax their father into taking them on a ski trip, the teens mentioned what a great skier he is
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 coax
My Father’s Shadow coaxes viewers into Akin and Remi’s world from the first frame, proceeding to offer a heartbreaking reflection on father-son relationships and a nation on the cusp of change.
—
Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025
In recent months, senior State Department officials in both Washington and Gambia have coordinated with Starlink executives to coax, lobby and browbeat at least seven Gambian government ministers to help Musk, records and interviews show.
—Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica, 15 May 2025
Sophomore pitcher Tiffany Seemann then coaxed the next batter to ground out, setting off the celebration, as Winter Springs clinched the Class 5A state championship 4-3 at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park on Saturday.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2025
Ironically, users spend significant time editing these AI outputs, essentially becoming engineers trying to coax a machine into sounding real.
—William Jones, USA Today, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for coax
Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025
In recent months, senior State Department officials in both Washington and Gambia have coordinated with Starlink executives to coax, lobby and browbeat at least seven Gambian government ministers to help Musk, records and interviews show.
—Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica, 15 May 2025
Sophomore pitcher Tiffany Seemann then coaxed the next batter to ground out, setting off the celebration, as Winter Springs clinched the Class 5A state championship 4-3 at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park on Saturday.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2025
Ironically, users spend significant time editing these AI outputs, essentially becoming engineers trying to coax a machine into sounding real.
—William Jones, USA Today, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for coax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coax
Verb
-
Trump has routinely cajoled Jay Powell, the Fed chair, to lower interest rates.—
Grady McGregor,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
-
June and Mayday were only able to figure out their whereabouts after cajoling Serena into giving out their location.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
26 May 2025
Verb
-
Its inauguration fiesta alone, which featured live music and Lucha Libre, is said to have lured up to 3,500 attendees.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
16 June 2025
-
The nation was in the grip of a devastating deflation, but the ability to acquire land by homesteading or on railroad credit lured continued inward migration and immigration from abroad.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
15 June 2025
Verb
-
As their powerbrokers get seduced by the riches of T20 franchise cricket and as popularity for Test cricket declines among their countrymen, South Africa’s future in the longest and most traditional format has been of major concern.—
Tristan Lavalette,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
-
American culture has long inspired military service, with recruits seduced by action movies and promises of heroic returns to the U.S.—
Jacob Ware,
The Conversation,
12 June 2025
Verb
-
Working in recognizable horror subgenres, Byrne entices you with a familiar premise and then slowly teases apart the tropes, leaving you unsettled but also invigorated by his inventiveness.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
-
This wine entices with blackberry, plum, allspice and vanilla with smooth tannins and a bright acidity.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
And yet, about four years ago, images of myself with flaxen hair started to wheedle their way into my brain and park there.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
4 Apr. 2025
-
And soon thereafter, the mirror image: Sparks switches from playing wheedling Jerry to playing upright Bram in a harrowing scene with Arnold.—
Jesse Green,
New York Times,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The Chinese leaders Nixon wooed had already split with the Soviets and perceived them as a threat.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
30 May 2025
-
The Pentagon last month started to try to woo back to the military the service members who left.—
Ellen Mitchell,
The Hill,
28 May 2025
Verb
-
Residents are urged to stay alert, remain aware of their surroundings.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2025
-
With Israel saying its operation could last weeks, and Netanyahu urging Iran's people to rise up against their Islamic clerical rulers, fears have grown of a regional conflagration dragging in outside powers.—
Alexander Cornwell,
USA Today,
15 June 2025
Verb
-
Over the course of his prolific, three-decade career, the American filmmaker has established a signature aesthetic and working style that could convince any actor to beg him for a part — almost any actor.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
-
Screengrabs from a viral video of a bathroom before it was renovated by Jaci Marie Smith after the previous owners of the home begged her not to do it.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coax. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share