coax

coax, cajole, wheedle, blandish mean to use ingratiating art in persuading or attempting to persuade.

Coax implies gentle, persistent efforts to induce another or to draw what is desired out of another

{

in a coaxing voice, suited to a nurse soothing a baby— Burney

}

It most often suggests artful pleading or teasing in an attempt to gain one's ends

{

little by little, he coaxed some of the men whom the measure concerned most intimately to give in their views— Kipling

}

{

one . . . who can linger over and taste a phrase, coaxing its flavor to the palate as if it were an old wine— Moody

}

{

his skill in coaxing . . . the attention of the variable human mind to divine objects— T. S. Eliot

}

but it may be extended to other situations in which persevering yet careful efforts are used to attain an end

{

coax embers into a blaze

}

Cajole may stress deceit (as by flattering or making specious promises)

{

they . . . should be treated as they themselves treat fools, this is, be cajoled with praises— Pope

}

It more often implies enticing or alluring and suggests beguilement rather than duplicity

{

I think a vein of sentiment . . . induced me to take the journey, and to cajole a reluctant friend into accompanying me— Repplier

}

Wheedle suggests more strongly than cajole the use of soft words, artful flattery, or seductive appeal

{

she could wheedle the soul out of a saint— Hewlett

}

{

he had wheedled the Abeyta woman out of her geraniums, and left her pleased with herself for surrendering them— Mary Austin

}

{

no hucksters to wheedle you into buying souvenirs— Nebel

}

Blandish implies less artfulness than wheedle and more open flattery and a more apparent desire to win over by charming or alluring

{

would the blandishing enchanter still weave his spells around me— Dickens

}

{

found herself being blandished by millionaires— Rogow

}

Analogous words: *induce, persuade, prevail, get: tease, pester (see WORRY): inveigle, entice, tempt, *lure

Antonyms: bully

Contrasted words: bulldoze, browbeat, *intimidate, cow: *threaten, menace: compel, coerce, oblige, *force, constrain