cajole
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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cajoles,
present (3rd person singular)
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cajoled,
past participle, past
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cajoling
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
cajolesimple
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cajolessimple
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have cajoledperfect
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has cajoledperfect
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am cajolingprogressive
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are cajolingprogressive
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is cajolingprogressive
-
have been cajolingperfect progressive
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has been cajolingperfect progressive
Past
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cajoledsimple
-
had cajoledperfect
-
was cajolingprogressive
-
were cajolingprogressive
-
had been cajolingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of cajole
1635–45; < French cajoler to cajole or chatter like a jaybird, apparently derivative of *cajole birdcage (< Late Latin caveola < Latin cave ( a ) cage + -ola -ole 1 ( def. ) ) + -er infinitive suffix
Explanation
To cajole someone is to persuade them by using insincere compliments or promises. If you say "Please, pretty-please, I'll be your best friend," when asking for a stick of gum, you are cajoling the gum holder. The origin of this word is probably a blend of two French words meaning "to chatter like a jaybird" and "to lure into a cage." When you cajole that guy into lending you some money, picture him as the bird going into the cage. In fact, the word cajole may be associated with another French word meaning "to put in jail."
Vocabulary lists containing cajole
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
His goal is to talk up the VW agreement to cajole workers at Mercedes and other foreign plants into unionizing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026
Belgium's outspoken prime minister Bart De Wever will be in the spotlight as his EU counterparts -- most of whom back the plan -- try to cajole him to accept.
From Barron's ● Dec. 18, 2025
My mother did her best to cajole me into going.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 27, 2025
He will be expected to charm and cajole the incoming administration at a potentially very delicate time for US/UK relations.
From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2024
I dragged myself home at the end of the day, lagging far behind my brothers, who had given up trying to cajole me out of my mood.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
It’s in one of these quiet moments that Timble gently cajoles Orris in the way only a good friend can.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
He rallies Ukrainians, calls attention to atrocities, thanks supporters and cajoles allies for aid.
From New York Times ● Dec. 31, 2022
He cajoles the new love of his life Molly to become his sidekick and go to the big city to find riches by performing a psychic act.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 1, 2022
Running around town in his tennis-coach regalia of short shorts and knee-high socks, Richard cajoles, insists, argues and refuses to take no for an answer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2021
This nearly cajoles me into thinking I should also know what Marv needs with the money.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
They coaxed, cajoled, begged and beseeched for support to bring the tournament to North America.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026
Jing-nan describes his work as follows: “I cajoled 1,000 strangers every night in English, Mandarin, and Taiwanese to buy my food and hang out with me, in that order.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
No one should be cajoled into paying for a property that they never use and no longer wish to own.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 5, 2026
"Maybe it's the failure of Oslo that gave rise to the rather unconventional approach that Trump has taken, where he has short-circuited any sort of process and simply pressured and cajoled," Yacoubian said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2025
The first time she used it, Ugwu held her steady while Olanna cajoled her.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
But the leak did reveal commercially sensitive information, including Anthropic’s proprietary techniques, tools and instructions for cajoling its AI models to work as coding agents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026
A Fed chair can’t change the world on his own; cajoling other Fed officials to back his views requires credibility, among other factors.
From Barron's ● Dec. 11, 2025
With no budget to hire trained reporters, Ned leans on the paper's dwindling staff, cajoling disgruntled employees into volunteering as journalists despite them having no idea what they're doing.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2025
It followed weeks of leaders threatening, cajoling, and otherwise applying maximum pressure and procedural tactics to stop this train from leaving the station.
From Slate ● Apr. 2, 2025
“No, Father! Let me. Belle,” I call, cajoling, “Belle, you can do it. You can do it, girl.”
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
