coaxed
Americanadjective
-
influenced or persuaded to do something by gentle urging, smooth talk, flattery, etc..
A coaxed cat will make itself comfortable in your lap for a while, but a forced one will flat out refuse.
-
obtained by gentle urging, sweet talk, flattery, etc..
The hotel owner eventually offered us a coaxed apology after much back and forth about the lack of cleanliness.
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of coaxed
First recorded in 1825–35; coax 1 ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; coax 1 ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb sense
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.
The drippings, on that first night, don’t go to waste: they’re coaxed into something worthy of the occasion, slicked over potatoes or spooned onto rice, greener and more herb-laced than you might expect.
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026
Gen. John Brennan emerged from the plane on Tuesday, he was greeted by an army composed of two rival Libyan factions the American officer had coaxed into holding their first ever joint military exercises.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage is now at the lowest it’s been since 2022, raising hopes that potential buyers can be coaxed to participate in the spring buying season.
From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026
Michael Carrick is far too experienced to get coaxed into giving away whether he wants to become Manchester United's next permanent manager.
From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026
It had retreated to that obscure corner in herself from where it came and couldn’t be coaxed.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
![]()
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.